Wood & Finish: Species, Moisture and Coatings for Toys

Choosing timber for a toy is usually presented as a hardness question. It is not. This guide covers the three properties that actually decide whether a toy survives a childhood, and what a finish is really for.

What is inside

• Tangential, radial and longitudinal movement, and the T/R ratio that predicts cupping
• A species table with published Janka and shrinkage figures, plus T/R computed from them
• Which species to avoid for mouthed parts, and why
• Reading a board: grain runout, quartersawn against flatsawn, defects that become hazards
• Equilibrium moisture content, and measuring MC without a meter using the oven-dry method
• Film against penetrating finishes, and why the cutting-board advice does not transfer
• Seven finishes compared honestly, including what “boiled” linseed oil actually is
• Mixing shellac from flakes: pound cuts, solvent choice, shelf life
• Dyes against pigments, and the heavy-element limits that apply to colour
• A seven-step application schedule with no decisions left in it

Format

• 7 pages, A4, PDF
• Delivered as an instant download after purchase
• Print at 100% with scaling off — several drawings are reproduced at true size
• No physical item is shipped

Please note

This is a design guide, not legal advice, and it does not substitute for testing. Regulatory figures are cited to their source so you can verify them against the current text.