Woodworking has long been a part of human history. There are many instances where wood has become the perfect resource for man as it has been used to build, make, or carve various items out of. These woodworks have provided man with tools and shelter and even up to now, the importance of the craft is being felt and appreciated.
Wood was among the first materials that early humans worked with. This, along with stones, mud, and animal parts paved the way to the development of cities and civilizations. In fact, archaeological findings saw that the more advanced the level of using wood was, the more developed the civilization was as well. Two of the well-regarded ancient civilizations that made use of wood were the Chinese and Egyptians.
The Egyptians preserved a significant amount of drawings and furniture in their tombs. Most of these artworks, chairs and tables, beds, and containers were made from wood. Even the interior of the coffins which served as the resting place of the departed members of royalty were carved from wood. As for tools made out of the material, these included axes, chisels, pulleys, and bow drills. It was also in ancient Egypt that the use of varnishes for finishing was invented. At that time, the native acacia wood and the local sycamore and tamarisk trees were the most widely used in the region. It was due to this that a scarcity of the resource came to pass and Egypt had to result to importation of wood.
Meanwhile in China, the ancestors of the craft of making use of wood were a man, Lu Ban and his wife, Lady Yun. They introduced the plane, chalk-line, and tools that early Chinese used. He created a manuscript in which was found descriptions and instructions on how to create items such as tables, flower pots, altars, and many more from wood.
The history of woodworking shows that artisans relied upon the resources that were native to where they lived. However, the widespread use of wood and the range of its uses resulted in shortages. It wasn’t until innovations in trade and transportation were developed that those who made use of wood had access to resources outside of their lands.
There are basically three types of wood. The first are hardwoods which can be acquired from broadleaf trees. Second are the softwoods from coniferous trees. Although their names would suggest a difference in the material’s rigidity, hardwoods are not necessarily harder than their softwood counterparts. Both types of woods include wide varieties that differ in actual hardness and density of the material. One of the differences however, is in the structure of the woods. Hardwoods have a more complex structure and are often found with pores or vessels. Another difference is that hardwoods tend to be more expensive than softwoods due to a scarcity in the availability of the natural material.
This brings us to the third type of wood: artificial wood. Artificial woods are those made by man in place of the natural material. An example of these is the plywood, which is often used in the construction of houses. The presence of this man-made material and its popularity in various applications only show that woodworking has truly become a way of life.
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