Wood handbook: wood as an engineering material - Practical Reference

In this review of Wood handbook: wood as an engineering material the reviewer finds it a focused, practical reference for engineers, designers, and students who work with woody materials. The bottom line: this handbook is worth acquiring for anyone who needs a reliable, engineering-oriented compendium about wood properties and applications. It reads like a laboratory-backed manual rather than a general interest book, and its main strength is presenting material science and engineering guidance in a single reference.

Key Features

• Comprehensive engineering focus: Presents wood as an engineering material with data and guidance useful to design and analysis tasks rather than lifestyle reading.
• Laboratory-backed content: Draws on the Forest Products Laboratory approach, giving confidence that recommendations reflect practical testing and standards.
• Reference-oriented layout: Organized for quick lookup so readers can find material properties and engineering implications without reading cover-to-cover.
• Useful for multiple disciplines: Serves architects, structural engineers, and materials scientists who need a single source for wood properties and engineering considerations.
• Durable value: Functions as a long-term desktop reference for project work, research, and coursework where wood material data is required.

Who It's For

Engineers, architects, timber designers, and materials science students will get the most from this handbook because it emphasizes the engineering aspects of wood rather than consumer-level topics. Professionals specifying wood in structures or products will appreciate the practical orientation and laboratory-rooted perspective provided by the Forest Products Laboratory.

Casual readers or those seeking a general natural history of trees should look elsewhere, as this volume is not written as popular reading. Also, users needing highly specialized modern codes or recent computer design tools will want to supplement this handbook with current standards and software documentation.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Consolidates engineering data and guidance about wood into a single reference that saves time during project work.
• Written from a laboratory and applied research perspective, increasing trust in the material recommendations.
• Organized for lookup and practical use, making it suitable as a desktop handbook for professionals and students.

Cons

• Not intended as popular reading, so those expecting narrative or broad natural history content may find it dense.

Specifications

Title	Wood handbook: wood as an engineering material
Primary author/producer	Forest Products Laboratory (U.S.)
Category	Books - Engineering & Material Science
Intended audience	Engineers, designers, students
Use case	Reference for wood properties and engineering guidance
Format	Technical handbook / reference

Our Verdict

Wood handbook: wood as an engineering material is a practical, lab-informed reference that belongs on the shelf of anyone who designs with or studies wood. Its engineering emphasis and reference format make it good value for professionals and students who need dependable material data and applied guidance rather than introductory or narrative content.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is this book suitable for structural engineers?
Yes. The handbook emphasizes engineering properties and practical guidance useful to structural engineers specifying or analyzing wood.

Does it include laboratory-based data?
Yes. The content reflects the Forest Products Laboratory approach and includes data and recommendations grounded in applied research.

Is this a general interest book about trees?
No. It is a technical reference focused on wood as an engineering material, not a broad natural history or popular overview.