Softwood is wood from gymnosperm trees such as . The term is opposed to hardwood, which is the wood from angiosperm trees. The main differences between hardwoods and softwoods is that the softwoods completely lack Vessel element (pores).
Characteristics
Softwood is
wood from
gymnosperm trees such as
and
. Softwoods are not necessarily softer than hardwoods.
The hardest hardwoods are much harder than any softwood,
but in both groups there is enormous variation with the range of wood hardness of the two groups overlapping. For example,
balsa wood, which is a hardwood, is softer than most softwoods, whereas the
longleaf pine,
Douglas fir, and
Taxus softwoods are much harder than several hardwoods.
Several specific natural, macroscopic and microscopic features of wood are used in the identification process of a softwood species.[ Presentation by Dr. George Mantanis (Univ. of Thessaly, 2024)]
Softwoods are generally most used by the construction industry and are also used to produce paper pulp, and card products.
Certain species of softwood are more resistant to insect attack from woodworm, as certain insects prefer damp hardwood.
Examples of softwood trees and uses
-
Douglas fir - joinery, doors and heavy construction
-
Eastern white pine - furniture
-
European spruce - used throughout construction, panelling and cladding
-
Larch - cladding and boats
-
Lodgepole pine - roofing, flooring and in making chipboard and particle board
-
Pinus radiata
-
Parana pine - stair treads and joinery (critically endangered)
-
Scots pine - construction industry, mostly for interior work
-
Sitka spruce
-
Southern yellow pine - joinery, flooring and decking
-
Western hemlock - doors, joinery and furniture
-
Western red cedar (or red cedar) - furniture, decking, cladding, and roof shingles
-
Yew - interior and exterior furniture (e.g., chairs, gate posts and wood turning)
Applications
Softwood is the source of about 80% of the world's production of
timber,
[United Nations ] with traditional centres of production being the
Baltic region (including
Scandinavia and
Russia),
North America and China. Softwood is typically used in construction as structural carcassing timber, as well as finishing timber.
See also
External links
