Woodworking materials define the performance of the wood products formed hence appropriate wood materials are being used for specific types of products desired. The two naturally-occurring wood materials are hardwood and softwood. To better understand the two wood types, it is good to look into their properties and in what particular project is each of them appropriate to be used as raw material.
Hardwoods come from trees with deciduous broad leaves which are lost during winter and thus producing more wood colors and texture types as compared with softwoods. Although the name “hardwood” has little relationship on how hard the wood is, hardwood is still relatively harder than softwood. It is characterized by compact wood grains and thus used by most woodworkers in various projects especially those that require fine finished products such as furniture, fixtures and decorations.
Since hardwood comes in different colors, choosing suitable wood material is important. Hardwood with colors is best to use when the craftsman desires to put clear coating or to stain the project because the finished product will showcase the natural beauty and color of the wood. On the other hand, when the plan goes to applying paint as finishing technique, then it is wiser to use non-colorful hardwood. Moreover, hardwood species have different resistance to moisture changes. Knowing the location where the furniture will be installed is important in choosing the right hardwood to be used.
Softwoods, on the other hand, come from evergreen coniferous trees in general. Species producing softwood lumber are abundant in the northern hemisphere particularly in Northern America specific to United States and Canada. It was found out that softwoods are 90% available in the market because they are less expensive than hardwoods. This is attributed to the species’ ability to grow faster, easiness of cultivation and production of straight trunks. Because of the softness of the softwood it is not advisable for woodworking on furniture. Softwoods are only used to develop construction materials, painted projects, cabinets for woodshop, dog houses and those projects which do not require fine and heavy-duty products. It is important to take note that softwoods are primary raw materials for fiberboard and paper production.
The quality of the final product will depend much on the raw material used in woodworking. Familiarizing with various lumber types available while keeping in mind the planned product helps a woodworker save time and money. As advised by many, it is not bad to seek opinions from experts in terms of what type of wood to use.
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