Do You Recognize Reaction Wood | Discover More Now

By: gary thomas

Have you ever ripped a skinny strip off a board only to have it straight away warp or twist? You might have also had the board pinch the blade and cause friction burns or blade stalling. We often receive e-mails from frustrated carpenter wondering why their "perfect board" is acting like a sleepy two-year-old. These concerns are frequently caused by a difficult to detect condition in the lumber called "reaction lumber".

In short, Reaction wood is abnormal lumber formed in a leaning tree. In softwood trees, the reaction lumber forms on the lower side of the lean and is called compression wood. Compression wood is frequently very dense, hard, and brittle. In hardwood trees, reaction wood forms on the upper side of the lean and is called tension lumber. Woolly surfaces and too much longitudinal shrinkage are often symptoms of tension lumber.

Reaction woods ought to be avoided for a number of reasons. The thick hard wood is less likely to accept an even stain when compared to other parts of your project. The reaction wood is also extra prone to breakdown under load and will crack and split more easily when nailed or screwed. Carving and shaping may also be difficult and dimensional changes with changing moisture levels are likely.

The main problem comes in trying to identify reaction lumber. Even an qualified carpenter can have trouble picking out reaction lumber. There are some hints that a plank may hold reaction lumber. Crookedness or a sweep in the log is a sign of reaction wood. wood fibers that are curiously dense and hard for the species is another sign. incredibly small fuzzy fibers on surfaced hardwood can be a sign of reaction lumber as well as crack and splits that pull wildly away from the plank. If you find a piece of reaction wood "accidentally", save it for future reference. Fortunately reaction lumber is more of an exception than a rule. And now, if you happen to run across an obstinate board, you'll have an answer for why your cuts are twisting and curling.

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