How are Wood Grain and Wood Strength Related?
Wood grain is the pattern determined by the orientation of wood fibers and is formed when trees produce new cells during growth. Wood strength is the ability to withstand various kinds of stress, including impact and weight. The two are closely related. The strength of a piece of wood depends partly on the natural wood grain and partly on the way the wood is cut and used in relation to the wood grain. While there are over 1,000 kinds of trees in North America alone, only about 100 of them provide wood that is strong enough to use for construction.
