Common planks

Boards of ordinary woods such as beech, birch, alder or willow, used for rough carpentry, shelving, boxes and temporary work. In twelfth-century England boards were usually split from logs with wedges and a mallet and trimmed with an axe or adze; sawing spread only from the end of the century. These woods were less durable than oak and were used where appearance and long life mattered less.

Sources: buildingconservation.com · buildingconservation.com