Is Hardwood Always Harder Than Softwood

Uses of hardwood vs softwood.

Is hardwood always harder than softwood.

Some are much denser than others making them better suited to different applications. Wood is categorized as either softwood or hardwood based on physical structure and makeup. That is hardwood isn t necessarily denser than softwood. Hardwood trees are more varied than softwoods and there are about.

The differences in the hardness of the wood can be quite varied for both hardwood and softwood. Softwood produces more flames and sometimes more intense heat than hardwood but over a shorter period of time. Likewise yew is a hard softwood. For example hard maple is extremely hard hence the name and is often chosen for uses like flooring because it can withstand the pressures it will undergo.

For example balsa wood is known as one of the softest and least dense types of wood yet it is categorized as hardwood. The pelletizing process gives manufacturers precise control over the composition of wood pellets. Generally though softwoods are cheaper and easier to work with than hardwoods. Hardwood is contrasted to softwood which comes from conifers cone bearing seed plants.

Hardwood is wood from deciduous trees and broad leaf evergreen trees. For example a low quality hardwood is actually softer and less dense than a good quality softwood. Softwood comes from conifers such as fir pine cedar and redwood. Are there any negatives to hardwood.

In many cases hardwoods and softwoods are both used for many of the same purposes with more emphasis placed on the type of hardwood or softwood and how dense it is. The manufacturer and the region the wood is being procured from has more to do with pellet quality than whether it is a hardwood or softwood pellet. The best example of this is balsa wood which although extremely lightweight is classed as a hardwood. In most cases hardwood tends to be harder than softwood but not always.

The dense wood takes longer to season or dry out typically between 1 2 years and it s harder to light compared to softwood. Softwood is good for starting fires and making kindling. Hardwoods are not always harder than softwoods balsa wood being an example of this. Some softwoods are actually harder than hardwoods.

Softwood is usually less dense and more resinous burns faster and produces less heat than hardwood. Likewise balsa wood is classified as a hardwood and yet it s one of the least dense and softest types of wood. Naturally grown and harvested wood is classified as either hardwood or softwood. You can also expect to pay more for hardwood compared to the same amount of softwood.

All hardwoods are angiosperms flowering plants the largest group of land plants. When you use wood in your wood stove you get the results nature made. Upon hearing these terms you may assume that hardwood is literally harder and stronger than its softwood counterpart but this isn t necessarily true.