Is Hardwood Timber Better Than Softwood Timber

Hardwood offers superior durability easy maintenance and formidable strength.

Is hardwood timber better than softwood timber.

You may think it couldn t be much simpler than that but no. Due to the denseness of hardwood and the amount of natural oils it contains it takes a lot longer for the drying process to be completed. Hardwood and softwood timber sound simple surely hardwoods are hard and softwoods are soft no. Hardwoods normally take longer to grow and so incur larger costs before they are even felled.

Hardwood timber is available in a range of colours and finishes and will suit almost any contemporary style setting. Typically more expensive than softwood mahogany will set you back more than pine for a list of reasons. Different types of projects require different types of timber both hardwoods and softwoods are used for. Hardwood timber comes from slower growing deciduous species which have a denser grain than softwood species from which the term hardwood derives.

Hardwood forests take longer to replenish due to the tree s slower growth rate. 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. This is not the case. Whether timber is hardwood or softwood all comes down to the timber s origin.

The majority of our sawn sales are in oak though we can supply most native hardwoods to order for specific requirements. Generally though softwoods are cheaper and easier to work with than hardwoods. Whichever you choose it s important that the timber is correctly treated and finished so that it performs well. The timber species you choose will depend largely on your.

Once ready the trees are themselves harder to convert into a saleable product due to the density and strength of the wood thereby accruing. Uses of hardwood vs softwood. Each timber species is unique and features a different texture grain and density all of which have their own list of benefits. That s why anglian offers windows from a range of timber species.

Generally speaking hardwood cladding tends to be denser darker in colour closer grained heavier and more expensive than softwood cladding. The clue is not necessarily in the name some softwoods can be very sturdy. Hardwood always lasts longer a myth. For timber to be suitable for use in cladding it must have sufficient natural durability for external use i e.

This requires more energy and because of the nature of the wood it is commonly used for higher grade timber insinuating it is dried to a lower moisture content than many softwoods. When it comes to timber windows and doors there is a common misconception that hardwood is always better than softwood because it is more durable and long lasting.