The Difference Between Hardwood And Softwood

You might already know that wood is an outstanding and energy efficient building material.

The difference between hardwood and softwood.

These trees tend to be slower growing and provide a higher density wood. Trees with seeds that are enclosed such as within a shell or fruit are categorized as hardwood. Millwork can be outstanding for your commercial. But the difference between the two doesn t have to do with their actual hardness or density it s in how the trees reproduce.

Generally cork is composed of many flat cells and the cells are filled with air so that the growing cork presents a very soft state. Generally speaking hardwood lumber comes from broad leaf deciduous trees that lose their leaves annually. Softwood comes from gymnosperm trees usually evergreen conifers like pine or spruce. Coming to the reproductive description in botanical terms softwood trees are gymnosperms whereas hardwood trees are angiosperms.

The key difference between hardwoods and softwoods however is that the former grows seed filled flowers whereas the latter grows seed filled cones. The flowers of hardwood trees need insects and birds to pollinate them for them to be fertilized so that they can bear fruit. It is this point that makes the. Below the difference between softwood and hardwood.

We will break down the differences and best uses without getting too scientific. Hardwood comes from angiosperms and softwood comes from gymnosperms. In this modern age many people can feel alienated by cold lifeless interior design choices. As it turns out a hardwood is not necessarily a harder material more dense and a softwood is not necessarily a softer material less dense.

Wooden elements have an inherent aesthetic appeal. Differences between hardwood and softwood. The terms softwood and hardwood do not refer to the density of the wood but rather the type of tree that the wood comes from. Therefore the porous and easily scored balsa is hardwood but the dense and hard to work yew is softwood.

The physical hardness of a tree doesn t determine whether it s a hardwood or softwood. The primary distinction between hardwood and softwood is based on the reproductive biology of the tree species. Both are used in different types of construction. The distinction between hardwood and softwood actually has to do with plant reproduction.

This classification is based solely on the botanical classification of its reproduction method. For example balsa wood is one of the lightest least dense woods there is and it s considered a hardwood. More specifically the type of seeds produced by a tree determines whether it is hardwood or softwood. The seeds of hardwood trees will have a shell or a fruit.

There are two primary categories of wood.