# Timber

Timber is a versatile, organic, raw material that is prepared into standard sizes for use in building and carpentry. It offers several advantages, enabling it to be used in a wide range of applications.

As timber is an organic material it comes with a wide variety of physical features such as colour, odour, moisture content, grain figure, shrinkage, swelling, and strength which are all important characteristics which determine the properties of timber. Before you use your chosen timber, you should know its physical and mechanical properties to ensure it is the right fit for your project. 

The following articles cover timber properties, movement and species.

{% content-ref url="/pages/-M3hoB1fe5INgqhe0vvh" %}
[Timber Properties](/machine-workshop/machinery-materials/materials/timber/timber-properties.md)
{% endcontent-ref %}

{% content-ref url="/pages/-MDwuHq6NZ3XNy36N2QJ" %}
[Seasonal Movement](/machine-workshop/machinery-materials/materials/timber/timber-properties/shrinkage-and-swelling.md)
{% endcontent-ref %}

{% content-ref url="/pages/-M3iAKwlKk\_8cs-HDe1u" %}
[Timber Species](/machine-workshop/machinery-materials/materials/timber/timber-species.md)
{% endcontent-ref %}


---

# Agent Instructions: Querying This Documentation

If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question.

Perform an HTTP GET request on the current page URL with the `ask` query parameter:

```
GET https://ms-kb.msd.unimelb.edu.au/machine-workshop/machinery-materials/materials/timber.md?ask=<question>
```

The question should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language.
The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation.

Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.