Wood is hard, yet why this specificity about “hard wood”?
And how is it different from softwood? Well this is the easiest question in the
world. Hardwood is hard and softwood in soft. Ok, so this is probably not the
answer you were looking for but sometimes things are exactly the way they seem!
Hardwood is derived from deciduous trees while softwood is derived from
coniferous trees. For those of you who had been sleeping through this class in
school – deciduous trees are the kinds that have broad leaves and shed their
leaves every year while coniferous trees are found in higher altitude. It is
this deciduous, hardwood trees that provide the hardwood timber flooring in Sydney.
The density of hardwood is more than that of softwood so
it is in general, harder. That is why it is a popular choice for building
construction. When you hear names like mahogany, teak and oak, you appreciate
that the wood is of good quality. These are all hardwood. They are darker in
color and higher in price. Softwood too may be used in building construction
but they are usually limited to cabins and making window frames, etc. True
hardwood is hardly used these days as solid hardwood is expensive and even
working with it is expensive. Hardwood joinery is a talent that is not found in
many and those who do it do not do it for cheap dollars!
