Is Hardwood Timber Better Than Softwood Timber

Generally speaking hardwood cladding tends to be denser darker in colour closer grained heavier and more expensive than softwood cladding.

Is hardwood timber better than softwood timber. Hardwood and softwood timber sound simple surely hardwoods are hard and softwoods are soft 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. Be classified as very durable durable or moderately durable class 1 2 or 3 bs en 350 2. Each timber species is unique and features a different texture grain and density all of which have their own list of benefits.

The clue is not necessarily in the name some softwoods can be very sturdy. 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. Deciding on whether to choose a hardwood a softwood or a modified timber for your windows and doors depends on a number of factors such as your particular requirements the properties of different woods and your budget. Different types of projects require different types of timber both hardwoods and softwoods are used for.

That s why anglian offers windows from a range of timber species. You may think it couldn t be much simpler than that but no. The majority of our sawn sales are in oak though we can supply most native hardwoods to order for specific requirements. Once ready the trees are themselves harder to convert into a saleable product due to the density and strength of the wood thereby accruing.

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. Hardwoods normally take longer to grow and so incur larger costs before they are even felled. This is not the case.

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. Whether timber is hardwood or softwood all comes down to the timber s origin. Uses of hardwood vs softwood. Hardwood forests take longer to replenish due to the tree s slower growth rate.

Whichever you choose it s important that the timber is correctly treated and finished so that it performs well. Hardwood timber comes from slower growing deciduous species which have a denser grain than softwood species from which the term hardwood derives. For timber to be suitable for use in cladding it must have sufficient natural durability for external use i e. Hardwood timber offers a higher fire resistance than softwood.

Generally though softwoods are cheaper and easier to work with than hardwoods. The timber species you choose will depend largely on your.