Hardwood vs Softwood

Balsa is a hardwood. Let that sink in.

This guide explains what “hardwood” and “softwood” actually mean: a botanical distinction, not a hardness rating.

Two Families of Trees

Nearly all commercial timbers come from one of two major plant groups:

Hardwoods usually come from broad-leaved flowering trees (angiosperms). These trees produce flowers and seeds enclosed in fruit or nuts.

Examples: oak, ash, beech, walnut, maple, cherry

Softwoods come from conifers (gymnosperms). These trees typically have needles instead of broad leaves and produce seeds in cones.

Examples: pine, spruce, fir, cedar, larch, yew

The classification is based entirely on how the tree reproduces and grows — not on the density or hardness of the timber.

Why They Look Different Under the Surface

Because these two families evolved separately, their internal wood structures are fundamentally different.

Hardwoods contain specialised cells called vessels (also called pores). These appear as visible holes or openings in the grain. In species like oak and ash, the pores are large enough to see with the naked eye.

Softwoods lack vessels entirely. Instead, they rely on smaller cells called tracheids to transport water. This gives softwoods a more uniform, even texture.

This structural difference is the most reliable way to tell hardwood from softwood — and it explains many of the differences in grain pattern, texture, and workability between the two groups.

Hardness Is Not the Rule

Once you know the classification is botanical, the wide range of hardness within each group makes much more sense.

Some examples to challenge your assumptions:

Species	Type	Janka Hardness (lbf)	Notes
Balsa	Hardwood	~70	Extremely soft and light
Western Red Cedar	Softwood	~350	Soft, light, excellent outdoors
Douglas Fir	Softwood	~660	Strong, widely used structurally
Black Walnut	Hardwood	~1,010	Medium hardness, prized for furniture
White Oak	Hardwood	~1,360	Hard, dense, very durable

The Janka hardness test gives you a real hardness number, and it shows clearly that hardwood ≠ hard.

General Tendencies

While hardness isn’t guaranteed, there are broad tendencies worth knowing:

• Density varies widely in both groups, shaped by species and growing conditions
• Hardness varies widely in both groups, which is why the names can be misleading
• Hardwoods generally have more complex grain patterns due to their vessel structure
• Softwoods tend to be more uniform in texture and easier to machine

But these are tendencies, not rules. Growing conditions, climate, soil quality, and the age of the tree can all influence the final characteristics of the timber.

Common Workshop Associations

In everyday practice, woodworkers tend to reach for each group for different purposes:

Softwoods are commonly used for:

• construction and framing
• cladding and fencing
• general building work
• budget-friendly projects

Hardwoods are commonly used for:

• furniture and cabinetry
• flooring
• decorative and fine woodworking
• outdoor applications requiring natural durability

But these are conventions, not strict rules. Some softwoods make excellent furniture timber (yew, cedar), and plenty of hardwoods are used structurally.

Why This Matters

The hardwood–softwood distinction is more than a naming convention. It reflects a fundamental difference in wood structure that influences:

• grain pattern and texture (vessels vs tracheids)
• density range (broad tendencies, not guarantees)
• workability (how the wood responds to tools)
• natural durability (heartwood extractives vary between families)

Once you stop thinking of "hardwood" as meaning "hard" and start thinking of it as a biological category, you'll make better timber choices for every project.