Timber vs. Wood: Know the Difference
By Shumaila Saeed || Updated on December 25, 2023
Timber refers to processed wood suitable for building or carpentry, while wood is the raw material from trees.
Key Differences
Timber is wood that has been processed for use in construction, carpentry, or other building projects. In contrast, wood is a broader term, encompassing the fibrous material from trees and shrubs, including both processed and unprocessed forms.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 07, 2023
The term timber often implies a certain level of refinement and readiness for use in structural applications. Wood, however, can refer to anything from living tree trunks to sawn lumber and wood chips.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 07, 2023
In some regions, timber specifically denotes wood that is still attached to the ground or recently felled, whereas wood is a more general term for the material, regardless of its state or location.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 07, 2023
Timber is usually categorized based on its quality and intended use, such as hardwood or softwood timber. Wood, in its broader sense, includes these categories but also extends to all parts of the tree, including bark and leaves.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 07, 2023
In commercial and legal contexts, timber typically refers to wood that is traded or sold for construction purposes, while wood can refer to any wooden material, including furniture, tools, or decorative objects.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 07, 2023
ADVERTISEMENT
Comparison Chart
Definition
Processed wood for construction or use.
Raw material from trees and shrubs.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 07, 2023
State
Often cut, treated, or finished.
Can be in natural or processed state.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 07, 2023
Usage
Mainly in building and carpentry.
Broad usage, including fuel, art, etc.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 07, 2023
Commercial Value
High for construction and trade.
Varies widely based on type and use.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 07, 2023
Cultural/Regional Use
More specific, varies regionally.
Universal term for tree-derived material.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 07, 2023
ADVERTISEMENT
Timber and Wood Definitions
Timber
Processed wood beams and planks.
The old barn's timber frame has stood for over a century.
Shumaila Saeed
Nov 23, 2023
Wood
Wood: Trees or forests collectively.
They went hiking in the woods near the lake.
Shumaila Saeed
Nov 23, 2023
Timber
Wood intended for construction purposes.
They sourced high-quality timber for the new bridge.
Shumaila Saeed
Nov 23, 2023
Wood
Wood: Any wooden article or material.
The artist carved figures out of wood.
Shumaila Saeed
Nov 23, 2023
Timber
Harvested wood ready for commercial use.
The timber was transported to the mill for processing.
Shumaila Saeed
Nov 23, 2023
ADVERTISEMENT
Wood
The secondary xylem of trees and shrubs, lying beneath the bark and consisting largely of cellulose and lignin.
Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Wood
This tissue when cut and dried, used especially for building material and fuel.
Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Wood
A growth of trees and other plants usually covering a smaller area than a forest.
Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Timber
A person considered to have qualities suited for a particular activity
That trainee is executive timber.
Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Wood
(Sports) Any of a series of golf clubs used to hit long shots, having a bulbous head made of wood, metal, or graphite, and numbered one to five in order of increasing loft.
Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Timber
Used by one cutting down a tree to warn those around that the tree is about to fall.
Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Timber
(uncountable) Trees in a forest regarded as a source of wood.
Collect timber
Cut down timber
Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Timber
(countable) A heavy wooden beam, generally a whole log that has been squared off and used to provide heavy support for something such as a roof.
The timbers of a ship
Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Wood
Woods Living, growing, or present in forests
Woods animals.
A woods path.
Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Timber
(archaic) A certain quantity of fur skins (as of martens, ermines, sables, etc.) packed between boards; in some cases forty skins, in others one hundred and twenty. Also timmer, timbre.
Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Wood
(uncountable) The substance making up the central part of the trunk and branches of a tree. Used as a material for construction, to manufacture various items, etc. or as fuel.
This table is made of wood.
There was lots of wood on the beach.
Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Wood
(countable) The wood of a particular species of tree.
Teak is much used for outdoor benches, but a number of other woods are also suitable, such as ipé, redwood, etc.
Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Wood
A forested or wooded area.
A wood beyond this moor was viewed as a border area in the seventeenth century.
He got lost in the woods beyond Seattle.
Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Wood
A type of golf club, the head of which was traditionally made of wood.
Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Timber
A certain quantity of fur skins, as of martens, ermines, sables, etc., packed between boards; being in some cases forty skins, in others one hundred and twenty; - called also timmer.
Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Timber
That sort of wood which is proper for buildings or for tools, utensils, furniture, carriages, fences, ships, and the like; - usually said of felled trees, but sometimes of those standing. Cf. Lumber, 3.
And ta'en my fiddle to the gate, . . . And fiddled in the timber!
Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Timber
Fig.: Material for any structure.
Such dispositions are the very errors of human nature; and yet they are the fittest timber to make politics of.
Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Wood
(transitive) To supply with wood, or get supplies of wood for.
To wood a steamboat or a locomotive
Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Timber
A single piece or squared stick of wood intended for building, or already framed; collectively, the larger pieces or sticks of wood, forming the framework of a house, ship, or other structure, in distinction from the covering or boarding.
So they prepared timber . . . to build the house.
Many of the timbers were decayed.
Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Timber
A rib, or a curving piece of wood, branching outward from the keel and bending upward in a vertical direction. One timber is composed of several pieces united.
Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Wood
Mad; insane; possessed; rabid; furious; frantic.
Our hoste gan to swear as [if] he were wood.
Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Timber
To furnish with timber; - chiefly used in the past participle.
His bark is stoutly timbered.
Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Wood
To supply with wood, or get supplies of wood for; as, to wood a steamboat or a locomotive.
Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Wood
A large and thick collection of trees; a forest or grove; - frequently used in the plural.
Light thickens, and the crowMakes wing to the rooky wood.
Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Wood
The substance of trees and the like; the hard fibrous substance which composes the body of a tree and its branches, and which is covered by the bark; timber.
Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Wood
The fibrous material which makes up the greater part of the stems and branches of trees and shrubby plants, and is found to a less extent in herbaceous stems. It consists of elongated tubular or needle-shaped cells of various kinds, usually interwoven with the shinning bands called silver grain.
Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Wood
Trees cut or sawed for the fire or other uses.
We cast the lots . . . for the wood offering.
Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Timber
(music) the distinctive property of a complex sound (a voice or noise or musical sound);
The timbre of her soprano was rich and lovely
The muffled tones of the broken bell summoned them to meet
Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Timber
Wood prepared for use in building and carpentry.
The cabin was built using timber from local forests.
Shumaila Saeed
Nov 23, 2023
Timber
A term for trees suitable for lumber.
That forest is full of valuable timber.
Shumaila Saeed
Nov 23, 2023
Wood
English writer of novels about murders and thefts and forgeries (1814-1887)
Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Wood
United States painter noted for works based on life in the Midwest (1892-1942)
Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Wood
A golf club with a long shaft used to hit long shots; originally made with a wooden head; metal woods are now available
Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Wood
Wood: The hard, fibrous material forming the trunk and branches of trees.
The wood from this oak is incredibly strong.
Shumaila Saeed
Nov 23, 2023
Wood
Wood: An organic material used for fuel, construction, and crafts.
He gathered wood for the campfire.
Shumaila Saeed
Nov 23, 2023
Wood
Wood: A term for various kinds of lumber and timber products.
The carpenter specializes in reclaimed wood.
Shumaila Saeed
Nov 23, 2023
Repeatedly Asked Queries
Is all wood considered timber?
No, only wood that's processed for construction is called timber.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 07, 2023
Are timber and wood the same?
No, timber is a type of wood specifically prepared for construction.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 07, 2023
Can wood include parts like bark and leaves?
Yes, wood can refer to all parts of a tree, including bark and leaves.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 07, 2023
Is timber more expensive than wood?
Often, timber is more expensive due to its processing and quality.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 07, 2023
What are common uses of timber?
Timber is commonly used for building houses, furniture, and structures.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 07, 2023
Is timber always from hardwood trees?
No, timber can come from both hardwood and softwood trees.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 07, 2023
What is a timber yard?
A timber yard is a place where timber is stored and sold.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 07, 2023
Are there regulations on timber trade?
Yes, there are various regulations to ensure sustainable and legal timber trade.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 07, 2023
What are common uses of wood?
Wood is used for a variety of purposes, including construction, fuel, and art.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 07, 2023
Is wood environmentally sustainable?
Sustainability depends on sourcing and forestry practices.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 07, 2023
Can wood change properties over time?
Yes, wood can change due to factors like moisture, temperature, and aging.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 07, 2023
What is a woodlot?
A woodlot is a small forested area managed for wood production.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 07, 2023
Does timber only come from forests?
Primarily, but timber can also come from managed plantations.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 07, 2023
Can wood be synthetic?
No, wood is a natural material, though there are synthetic wood-like materials.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 07, 2023
How is timber processed?
Timber is processed through cutting, drying, and treating.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 07, 2023
Can wood be recycled?
Yes, wood can be recycled and repurposed for various uses.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 07, 2023
Is timber used in paper production?
Yes, certain types of timber are used for making paper.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 07, 2023
Share this page
Link for your blog / website
HTML
Link to share via messenger
About Author
Written by
Shumaila SaeedShumaila Saeed, an expert content creator with 6 years of experience, specializes in distilling complex topics into easily digestible comparisons, shining a light on the nuances that both inform and educate readers with clarity and accuracy.
Shumaila Saeed
Hifza Nasir
