DIFFERENCES IN HARDWOOD VS. SOFTWOOD FLOORING
HARDWOODFLOORSCHARLOTTE.COM
HOW TO DISTINGUISH HARDWOOD FROM SOFTWOOD If you want to carry out a construction project to install a wood floor, you will need a basic understanding of how to distinguish hardwood from softwood. This factor is essential when you make decisions for other projects. Indeed, both types have their advantages; however, you must note them before you start shopping.
THE HARDNESS OF THE WOOD In the first instance, the hardness of the wood is the main factor to difference both hardwood and softwood. However, not always the first one is harder than the last one. For example, the balsa wood is extremely lightweight, but it is classed as a hardwood.
HARDWOODS Hardwoods are considered species with advantageous technical properties such as strength, natural durability, and excellent machining properties. On the other hand, hardwood belongs to Angiosperms species that grow in temperate and tropical climates. It is important to note that there are about 300,000 species Angiosperms (flowering plants), and they are the largest and most diverse group within the kingdom Plantae (they represent approximately 80 percent of all the known green plants today).
SOME OF THE MOST USED HARDWOODS
Hardwoods are ideal woods to manufacture floors and build house structures. Some of the most used hardwoods are oak, walnut, ash, hard maple, cypress, mahogany, and cherry.
SOFTWOODS Softwood is a limber extracted from coniferous or evergreen trees, and they are used as building materials. Softwood is also used for flooring products, and some of the most popular species employed for this purpose are pine and cedar. On the other hand, softwoods can grow and mature faster than other species.
Softwoods stand out because they are easy to work. For this reason, they are suitable for the manufacture of furniture, boards, musical instruments, and even handicrafts. Regarding their hardness, softwoods can have less or more hardness than some hardwoods. However, they tend to be lighter than the last ones, their lifespan is more limited, and they produce more wood chips.
In addition to pine, other more commonly used softwood species are fir, poplar, cypress, birch, or chestnut. Hazelwood can also be used, although this species does not resist weathering well.
HARDWOODFLOORSCHARLOTTE.COM