| The distinction between Hardwood and Softwood | | | | and Larch. |
| actually has to do with plant reproduction. All trees | | | | Hardwoods tend to be slower growing, and are |
| reproduce by producing seeds, but the seed | | | | therefore usually denser. Although there are many |
| structure varies. In general, hardwood comes from a | | | | different types of woods used for building garden |
| Deciduous tree which loses its leaves annually, and | | | | furniture, the very high natural levels of Silica and |
| softwood comes from a Conifer, which usually | | | | Rubber that are present in Teak makes it widely |
| remains evergreen. | | | | accepted in the Industry as being the single best |
| Hard Woods | | | | timber for the Great British outdoors. |
| Hardwood trees are Angiosperms that produce | | | | There is a mathematical scale used to test the |
| seeds with some sort of covering. This might be a | | | | density of a timber called the Janka Hardness Scale. |
| fruit such as an apple, or a hard shell such as an | | | | This scale works by calculating the force needed to |
| acorn. E.g. Teak, Maple, Oak, Elm, Mahogany and | | | | embed half the diameter of a steel.444 inch ball into |
| Sycamore | | | | the wood. Woods scoring a high rating on the Janka |
| Soft Woods | | | | Hardness Scale are considered harder. Because of this |
| Softwoods, on the other hand, are Gymnosperms. | | | | the Janka Hardness Scale is a good indication of how |
| These plants let seeds fall to the ground as is, with | | | | resistant each wood species is to denting and wear |
| no covering such a Pine trees, which grow seeds in | | | | and a useful way to see how hard the wood will be |
| hard cones. Other examples are Redwood, Fir, Cedar, | | | | to saw or nail. |