What Is The Difference Between Hardwood And Softwood?

The Differences Between Hardwood And Softwood

When it comes to types of wood, it can be divided into two major types – Softwood and Hardwood. The Differences Between Hardwood And Softwood lies in their origin, physical structure, quality and uses.

Simply categorizing hardwood as hard and softwood as soft is not the best approach. Even though it is true that hardwood is relatively more durable harder, there are some exceptions.

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In this article, we will discuss the various difference between softwood and hardwood and which type of wood is the best for which purpose.

The Differences Between Hardwood And Softwood

Here are the top hardwood vs softwood differences

Difference Type Hardwood Softwood
Origin Hardwood is produced from angiosperm trees or flowering plants that are not monocots. Leaves of these trees are broad and usually fall off during autumn and winter. Softwood, on the other hand, comes from gymnosperm species which have needles and cones in place of leaves. Their needles stay intact throughout the year.
Seeding Hardwood trees produce seeds. Softwood trees Don’t produce seeds.
Density Hardwoods typically have a higher density (but not in all cases) Softwoods have a lower density.
Fire Resistance Hardwoods are more resistant to fire and easily burns. Softwoods are not fire resistant.
Damage Resistance The lack of resin in the hardwood makes it more resistant to common damages like scratches. Softwoods are however prone to such damages.
Growth rate The growth rate of hardwood trees is comparatively lower. Softwood trees grow more in less time and get more dense.
Health Effects Hardwood have lower odor emissions which make them safe to use. Softwoods have a higher odor emission rate which makes them not a very healthy choice as they increase the probability of asthma attacks and other allergies.
Cost Hardwood is usually more expensive. Softwood is less expensive.

Uses Of Hardwood And Softwood

Below we mentioned the top uses of hardwood and softwood in different sectors.

Hardwood Softwood
Hardwood is primarily used for making high-quality flooring, furniture, decks and other construction for long-term purpose. Softwood is more popular as timber because of its low cost. It is mainly used in the construction of windows, doors, furniture items, paper, etc.
Making boats and ships
For tanning leather
Furniture making
Flooring
Fencing, gates
For timber frames of buildings
Home woodworking projects
Flooring, roofing
Structural framing
Furniture and cabinets
Panelling and cladding

Examples Of Hardwood & Softwood

Here are some examples of hardwood and softwood trees. Let’s Check out the list:

Hardwood trees Softwood trees
Alder, hickory, mahogany, balsa, beech, maple, teak, oak, and walnut. Cedar, juniper, pine, Douglas fir, redwood, yew, and spruce.

As you can see, both hardwood and softwood have their respective uses and a wide range of applications. Both types of wood are used as timber and round logs in many applications.

CameroonTimberExport provides worldwide supply of top-quality hardwood and softwood timber and round logs. Contact right away to discuss your requirements.

The Different Types Of Wood And Their Uses For WoodWorking

Different Types Of Wood And Their Uses

Wood is one of the natural resources that is produced from forests. It is used in both personal and industries works. There is different types of wood are available which can be used for many purposes. Some of the most common uses of wood are for furniture making, home construction, firewood, picture frames, etc.

Countries like Africa and Canada where there is a healthy quantity of dense forests are the prominent exporters of the usable wood.

When it comes to varieties or types of wood for woodworking, there are a lot. Some types of wood are region-specific while others are globally found. Today, we will learn about the top five types of wood that are used almost everywhere in the world. Now we will discuss the different types of wood and their uses.

5 Different Types of Wood and And Their Uses

1. Teak

Teak is one of the most popular wood types for building outdoor furniture and other outer parts of a building.

A tropical hardwood, teak is found in most places around the world, with India, Indonesia and Bangladesh being the top producers.

The freshly milled teak wood has a smell similar to that of leather. The wood is found and used in two major formats – Teak sawn timber and Teak round logs.

Uses

The strong water resistance and durability features of teak make it suitable for the following types of work:

  • Boat building,
  • Outdoor furniture construction,
  • Home exterior building,
  • Veneer,
  • Carving,
  • Board cutting,
  • Indoor flooring and furnishing,
  • Turnings, etc.

Teak Wood Logs

Teak Wood Logs

Teak Sawn Timber

Teak Sawn Timber

2. Tali

Known for its high bending, strength and stability, Tali wood is a native to Central and West Africa. The heartwood is originally yellow to brown-red in color and gets darker with time and exposure. The interlocked grains of Tali make it strong and highly durable.

The wood is quite easy to work with, both for hand and machine projects. Tali round logs as well as Tali sawn timber are used in home and industrial constructions.

Uses

Because of its durable nature, Tali is mostly used for exterior wood projects like –

  • Home flooring
  • Harbor and dock work
  • Construction of house and bridges
  • Joinery
  • Building boats
  • Turnings
  • Railway sleepers
  • Marine construction

Tali Wood Logs

Tali Wood Logs

Tali Sawn Timber

Tali Sawn Timber

3. Doussie

Doussie is a Fabaceae (legumes) family wood produced from a tree called Afzelia which is native to Asia and tropical Africa. The wood is exported and used all over the world in both timber and round log forms. It is red-brown in color and is very durable.

Uses

Common applications of Doussie wood include –

  • Veneer making
  • Furniture construction
  • Cabinetry work
  • Turned objects
  • Docks and boat building
  • Exterior construction and millwork
  • Home flooring and other small wood items

Doussie Wood Logs

Doussie Wood Logs

Doussie Sawn Timber

Doussie Sawn Timber

4. Padauk

Padauk, or commonly known as African padauk because of its origin, is a Fabaceae family wood produced from the pantropical genus of trees. The wood is typically brownish red in color and has an excellent decay resistance.

Uses

Padauk sawn timber is used for construction work while Padauk round logs are used in industries. Other uses include

  • Flooring
  • Furniture
  • Tool handles
  • Veneer
  • Turned objects
  • Carving and turnings
  • Musical instruments

Padauk Wood Logs

Padauk Wood Logs

Padauk Sawn Timber

Padauk Sawn Lumber

5. Mahogany

Mahogany is a straight-grained timber wood found in America and some parts of Africa. The wood is used in round log and timber forms and exported throughout the world.

Uses

Some typical applications of Mahogany wood include

  • Boat building
  • Furniture
  • Musical instruments and stereo parts
  • Writing Pens
  • Billiard and pool cues
  • Floors
  • Doors

Mahogany Wood Logs

Mahogany Wood Logs

Mahogany Sawn Timber

Mahogany Sawn Timber

Cameroon Timber Export is a global exporter of top-quality Sawn Timber and Round logs of all types of wood.

List of International Export Timber Prices (Famous Cameroon Timbers with Cost and Images)

export timber prices

Cameroon Timber Export is a leading provider of the best-in-class African wood timber and logs at affordable rates in the Cameroon area. We also provide timber export services to a number of countries in Europe and Asia and to all the GCC countries. As for the prices of our top-quality timber and wood logs, you can be assured of getting the best material at the most basic prices. Check out more details of international export timber prices below.

Our International Export Timber Prices

Following is the list of prices of our sawn timber and logs. The price of both timber and log of the same wood species is the same. The price list below is CIF (Cost, Insurance and Freight), that means the cost is inclusive of shipping freight, which will be handled by the seller.

Timber Species Export Timber Prices(In Cubic Meter) Timber Images
Tali 380$/m3 Tali
Pachy 400$/m3 Pachy
Iroko 360$/m3 Iroko Wood Logs
Sapelli 410$/m3 Sapelli Wood Logs
Azobe 350$/m3 Azobe Wood Logs
Doussie 450$/m3 Doussie Wood Logs
Padouck 390$/m3 Padauk Wood Logs
okume 300$/m3 Padauk Wood Logs
Bubinga 600$/m3 Bubinga Wood Logs
Okan 370$/m3 Okan Wood Logs
Bilinga 380$/m3 Bilinga Wood Logs
Muabi 360$/m3 Moabi Wood Logs

Note: Above mentioned prices are negotiable at CameroonTimberExport.com
The prices denoted above are in m3 (meter3) unit which means per cubic meter. As you can see, the price of different wood species is different, with Bubinga being the costliest wood priced at 600$ per meter cube. Okume, on the other hand, is the lowest price wood which you can buy at half the price of Bubinga.

The prices given above are per meter cube of the specific wood. The exact price of the timber/log could be determined based on the dimensions provided by clients. For example, if you want to buy Azobe timber in (5*1*0.5) m3 dimension, it will cost you $875.

Contact us for an exact quote or to buy now

Uses of Timber in Construction, Furniture and Sheds

Uses Of Timber In Construction

Uses Of Timber In Construction

Timber, also commonly referred to as Lumber in American English, is a processed wood that is in the ready form to be used for construction purpose. Timber trees are primarily grown for use in carpentry and buildings. They are found in a wide variety of species.

Timber is supplied in two main forms rough-sawn timber and surfaced or finished timber where one or more faces of the planks are finished.

As the largest timber wood supplier, we keep all wood species including both hardwood and softwood types. Our timber is suitable to be used in any type of construction and also for building furniture and sheds.

We have described the best uses of timber in construction in detail in this article but first let us understand a bit more about timber.

What Is Timber In Construction?

What is timber in construction

As we mentioned above, the primary uses of timber is in construction of houses, buildings, furniture, etc. While most species of the timber are hardwoods, there are also some softwood timber species such as red pine and white pine. Both of these are usable in construction works.

Finished timber is mainly used in the construction industry, while rough timber acts as the raw material for making furniture and similar items. Finished timber, primarily softwood, for the construction of houses is usually available in standard sizes.

Some examples include pine, spruce, fir, hemlock, and cedar. Some hardwood timber species are often used for building high-grade flooring. However, a major part of construction timber, around 80% of it, is taken from softwood species.

Top Uses Of Timber In Construction

The uses of timber in construction are not new. Softwood timber comes from Conifers (or Evergreen) trees such as Pine, Chir, etc. Hardwood, on the other hand, is taken from Deciduous (or Broadleaf) trees like Teak and Shisham. Both have different qualities and are therefore usable for different types of construction work.

Good quality construction timber should have the following properties:

  • Should be dark in color
  • Should be hard and have shining appearance when freshly cut
  • Should be durable and have good resistance against chemicals, insects, and fungi
  • Should not have any serious defects
  • Should be somewhat resistant to fire
  • Should be strong enough to withstand mechanical wear or abrasions
  • Should have elasticity
  • A good quality timber should have a pleasant smell
  • Should be uniform
  • Should offer resistance against shocks and vibration
  • The higher the timber weight, the stronger it is
  • Should be easy to work with

How To Buy Timber For Furniture Making?

Now the question is that how you can buy timber for furniture making? What are some good sources to buy the timber online?

How To Buy Timber For Furniture Making

So here is your answer, Before buying any wood for construction of furniture making, one should take it properly for quality and strength. Besides the above-mentioned properties of the timber itself, you should purchase only from a trustworthy supplier.

Cameroon Timber Export specializes in the retailing, wholesaling and international supply of top-quality construction timber of the best African wood species. Our service and products include timber for sheds, timber forest products, timber for furniture and other construction material in a wide variety of top softwood and hardwood species.

What Is The Difference Between Timber And Lumber?

Difference Between Timber And Lumber

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The word Timber and Lumber are often used synonymously with one another. And you would be surely forgiven to use any of the two words you prefer but there is still a key difference between timber and lumber.

While Timber is wood that is still erect and coupled to the ground, lumber is the processed piece of wood which is accurately measured too. In simpler terms, ‘Lumber is processed timber’. Continue reading “What Is The Difference Between Timber And Lumber?”