Guide to Hardwoods: Types, Uses, Benefits
Unless you're a botanical expert or work with wood, the terms hardwood and softwood can be confusing. For many, the understanding is that hardwood produces hard timber, but that's not always the case. Whether you're selecting materials for your project or want to be sure about the type of trees on your land, being able to tell hardwood and softwood apart can be an added advantage.
Our guide focuses on hardwood, its features, types, benefits and applications, as well as how to determine whether the trees on your land are hardwood.
What Is a Hardwood?
Hardwoods are trees with broad leaves classed as angiosperms due to their enclosed seeds. These trees are generally deciduous, meaning they shed their leaves in response to certain seasonal changes. In temperate regions, hardwoods like the American hardwood types shed their leaves in fall and remain dormant throughout winter.
In the tropical and subtropical regions of the world, hardwoods can be deciduous or evergreen. Evergreen hardwoods don't shed their leaves. Tropical deciduous hardwoods, however, may shed leaves in response to drier seasons.
The Difference Between Hardwood and Softwood
You may wonder, what is it that makes hardwood different from softwood? Usually, it's not the hardness of the wood because some softwood species are harder than some hardwood species. In general, hardwoods are tougher than softwoods, but the difference in classification is that hardwoods are angiosperms while softwoods are gymnosperms. Angiosperms and gymnosperms have distinct botanical features, as you can see in the following table:
| Hardwoods (Angiosperms) | Softwoods (Gymnosperms) |
|---|---|
| Slow-growing | Fast-growing |
| Flowering species with enclosed seeds | Non-flowering with exposed seeds |
| Typically high density | Typically low density |
| Sophisticated wood structure | Simple vascular system |
| High strength and durability | Tough and soft species available but typically less durable |
What Are the Types of Hardwoods?
Angiosperms like hardwoods comprise about 80% of all plant species, ranging from American types to European and tropical families. As an American landowner, you may want to know the common types of hardwoods that grow locally. Here are examples:
- Maple: Numerous species of maples are spread throughout temperate zones in North America, Europe and Asia. They mostly have lobbed leaves with striking fall colors and provide dense hardwood.
- Sycamore: Also known as sycamore maple, this is a large tree with long leafstalks and smooth, irregular bark. It produces hard-wearing and light-colored timber with close grains. Sycamores are naturalized in North America and are widespread in the eastern U.S.
- Mahogany: These are large, heavy-foliage trees with pinnate leaves made up of several leaflets. Magonany produces strong, dense wood that is excellent for woodworking. However, these trees are protected to ensure sustainable sourcing.
- Ash: Ash trees are diverse in size, with the larger timber species surpassing 60 feet. They have pinnately compound leaves with odd-numbered leaflets and narrow, single-seeded fruits. You can find them in the eastern portion of the U.S.
- Walnut: These are tough trees of medium-density wood with straight or wavy grains and a dark appearance. The American walnut is spread throughout the eastern U.S. and has tropical variants such as the African walnut and Brazilian walnut (Ipe), which are harder to source and more expensive.
- Elm: These are tall trees with serrated leaves and nutlike fruits. The genus has diverse species primarily native to temperate regions. However, the most common elms distributed over most of the northern U.S. are Rock, American and Slippery elms.
- Magnolia: These trees have hard and fine-textured wood with straight grains and are well-known for their distinct blooms. Species like southern magnolia and cucumber are popular in the lumber industry as they represent a huge portion of the southeastern hardwood population.
- Oak: Oak is the most common hardwood in North America, and it accounts for over half of American hardwoods. These are large, hard-wearing trees with many species.
- Hickory: These are valuable hardwood lumber trees with various species spread throughout the eastern part of the U.S. Hickory trees have compound leaves with dark, deeply patterned barks and oval drupes.
What Are the Benefits of Hardwoods?
Hardwoods are valuable in many industries due to their many qualities. Here are some of the benefits of hardwoods:
1. Strength and Durability
Hardwood trees take much longer than softwoods to mature, a characteristic that leads to their high density and sophisticated cellular structure. The complex cell structure is what makes most hardwoods stronger than softwoods. Besides strength, the density also adds to their resilience and longevity. As such, hardwoods can resist dents and scratches and withstand wear and tear better than their counterparts.
2. Value and Longevity
The traits that make hardwoods strong also contribute to their value and longevity. For example, high-quality hardwood lumber is valuable in construction and woodworking due to its exceptional qualities and long-lasting nature. Their versatility makes them suitable for multiple applications, from furniture to flooring.
3. Maintenance
Hardwoods are generally low maintenance due to their density, which increases their resistance to normal weather conditions. The toughness reduces the risk of damage and the need for repairs and replacements. They are also easy to clean, as is the case with hardwood flooring, which handles moisture better than many materials.
4. Appearance
Hardwoods are popular for their rich tones and distinctive grain patterns, which enhance their aesthetics in various applications, from flooring and furniture to cabinetry. Their exceptional diversity stems from their numerous genus and species. American hardwood species alone offer unique options that accommodate multiple styles and look good in different environments.
What Are the Uses of Hardwoods
The remarkable qualities of hardwoods, such as durability, longevity and pleasing appearance, make them ideal for various applications. Here are some of the popular uses of hardwood, both indoors and outdoors:
- Paneling: Hardwood panels are an excellent touch of luxury. They introduce color and texture indoors and act as statement pieces.
- Flooring: Hardwood is one of the most popular flooring materials today. It's sought after for its warmth, beauty, strength and durability. Hardwood floors are a staple because they can last decades with proper maintenance.
- Decking: Due to its tough nature and natural resistance to the elements and degradation, hardwood is a popular material for outdoor decking. With proper treatment and finishing, hardwood decks are just as reliable and long-lasting as composite and vinyl.
- Cladding: Hardwood may be tougher to work with in construction, but it's a popular material for cladding due to its capacity to withstand the elements. It offers weather resistance, insulation and aesthetics.
- Furniture: Hardwood species such as oak, maple and mahogany are popular furniture materials. While softwood is generally preferred, hardwood is ideal where durability is a factor, like in outdoor furniture or luxurious legacy pieces.
- Fencing: Due to its durability and resilience, hardwood is a material of choice for wooden fences and fence posts.
Contact Beiler’s Sawmill to Sell Your Hardwoods
Hardwoods are valuable trees with multiple applications and price tags worth each tree. If you own forested land containing hardwoods and are unsure how to benefit from them, Beiler’s Sawmill has a solution. Our mill in Quarryville, Pennsylvania, processes hardwood for lumber, live edge slabs and other products.
We will buy your hardwood timber at a competitive market price. Contact us today to sell your timber or consult our experts about forest management!
