Determination of Some Physical and Mechanical Properties of Various Wood and Wood Composite Materials

Abstract

In this study, some technical properties needed in engineering design of furniture of some solid wood and wood composite materials were determined according to related standards. Turkish beech (Fagus Orientalis Lipsky) and Scotch pine (Pinus Sylvestris Lipsky) were used as solid wood materials; while, okoume (Aucoumea klaineana) plywood, medium density fiberboard (MDF) and oriented strand board (OSB) were used as wood composites. Densities and moisture contents of the test materials were measured, and tensile strength, compression strength, shear strength, bending strength (MOR) and modulus of elasticity (MOE) values were obtained among the mechanical properties. Furthermore, allowable design (safety) stress values were calculated for solid wood and wood composite materials by utilizing safety factors used in some studies in the literature and presented for furniture designers.