Difference between hardwood and softwood
Main difference
The common natural wood that is acquired from trees is classified into two main types for its texture, abilities and qualities. Hardwood and softwood are the two most common types of natural foods that are obtained from trees. People are often confused because of their names and consider hardwood by nature quite hard and softwood as soft, while there are variations regarding both. Some hardwoods are quite soft in nature compared to many softwoods. Some hardwoods are hard in nature and vice versa.The main difference between the two types of wood is that hardwood is wood that is obtained from angiosperms (flowering plants) and softwood is obtained from gymnosperms.
Comparative chart
| Hardwood | Softwood | |
| About | Hardwood is the type of wood that is obtained from angiosperms (flowering plants). | Softwood is the type of wood that is acquired from gymnosperms (seed-producing plants). |
| Basic difference | Hardwood has pores and vessels in the bark that vary in size and shape. | Softwoods possess pores and vessels, but fewer than hardwoods are of a different nature. |
| Density | Hardwoods are denser in nature compared to softwoods. | Softwoods are less dense in nature compared to hardwoods. |
| Used for | Hardwood is mainly used to make furniture, hardwood floors, and is widely used in construction, musical instruments, fuel, and various tools. | Softwood is used primarily for the production of wood. The softwoods obtained produce almost 80% of the world’s wood. |
| Growth rate | Hardwood has a slower growth rate. | Softwood has a faster growth rate compared to hardwood. |
| Purpose of cooking | Hardwood is most often used for cooking, burning food, building fires, and smoking meat. Hardwood burns longer and intensely. | Soft wood is not preferred for cooking, burning or smoking food as its fire is not as intense and hot, it burns quickly from the outside. |
| Fire resistant | Hardwood has more fire resistance compared to softwood. | Softwood has less fire resistance compared to hardwood. |
| cost | Hardwood is commonly expensive compared to softwoods due to its immense use in the furniture industry. | Softwood is less expensive compared to hardwood. Products made from softwood can be expensive or cheap depending on their type. |
Hardwood is the type of wood that is acquired from angiosperms (flowering plants). Hardwood is the most common type of wood found in the world. Hardwood is the wood that is used mainly for the production of furniture, the manufacture of wooden floors, musical instruments, it is also used as fuel and for the manufacture of various tools. Hardwood is generally derived from trees found in tropical forests and tropical areas. Most of the time people get confused by the name of the wood. Hardwood is normally hard in nature, and this is due to the strong growth of flowering plants such as apple, oak, cherry, etc. Although not all types of hardwood are hard in nature and have different variations depending on their species. Some hardwoods are even softer than soft, while on the other hand, beautiful hardwood is harder than all kinds of hard and soft woods. Angiosperm plants possess annual growth rings within their wood or bark, which are used to count the age of the wood and the tree. Hardwoods have a complex internal structure compared to softwoods. The key difference between hardwood and softwood is due to the pores and vessels present in the hardwood. These pores and vessels differ in shape and size depending on the species and specificity of the plants. Hardwood is readily available in tropical areas and is more durable than softwoods, which is why there are more products made from hardwood compared to softwood. Hardwoods have a complex internal structure compared to softwoods. The key difference between hardwood and softwood is due to the pores and vessels present in the hardwood. These pores and vessels differ in shape and size depending on the species and specificity of the plants. Hardwood is readily available in tropical areas and is more durable than softwoods, which is why there are more products made from hardwood compared to softwood. Hardwoods have a complex internal structure compared to softwoods. The key difference between hardwood and softwood is due to the pores and vessels present in the hardwood. These pores and vessels differ in shape and size depending on the species and specificity of the plants. Hardwood is readily available in tropical areas and is more durable than softwoods, which is why there are more products made from hardwood compared to softwood.
What is softwood?
Softwood is a type of wood obtained from gymnosperm plants (seed-producing plants). Softwoods are not necessarily soft in nature compared to hardwood. Some softwoods are even harder than hardwoods depending on their particular type and species type. Unlike hardwood, softwoods are again more resistant to insect attack as they are not moist in nature and are generally free of woodworm. Softwood is used primarily for the production of wood. Softwoods produce 80% of the world’s wood.