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Solid wood can be broadly classified into hardwood and softwood, depending upon the kind of tree that produces it and the structure of its seeds. Hardwood comes from deciduous trees that shed their leaves seasonally and the seeds produced by them have a hard shell on them. Softwood comes from evergreen trees that produce seeds without a hard shell; they are light in weight so that they can be easily distributed by the wind. Both hardwood and softwood have their own distinct characteristics and are used for different types of furniture and other carpentry works.

Here are the strengths, shortcomings and corresponding applications of both these types of wood.

Hardwood
Hardwood is primarily used in areas where the strength, durability and the weather resistance of wood is of prime importance. Hardwood is used for constructing outdoor furniture, wooden structural members like beams, columns or rafters for sloped roof construction in homes, external cladding, flooring in high-traffic areas, outdoor decks, premium furniture and cabinetry.

Hardwood species include mahogany, eucalyptus, oak, teak, walnut, maple, beech, birch, rosewood and cherry.

Pros

• Hardwood is very strong and highly durable. This quality makes hardwood the preferred choice for constructing high-end and long-lasting furniture.
• Hardwood is close-grained and very dense; this adds to the strength of the wood, and it does not scratch easily.
• Hardwood is available in a wide range of colours, which include darker shades of brown or reddish-brown. It includes elegant natural grain patterns and usually has a rough texture in the raw state as lumber before carpentry.
• Hardwood is highly fire-resistant because of its high density.
• Additionally, hardwood is naturally more resistant to decay and termites and is widely used for outdoor applications. However, the wood should be sealed properly when used outdoors.

Cons

• Hardwood comes from slow-growing trees, hence it is not a very sustainable material and its use adds to the issue of deforestation.
• Hardwood is comparatively much heavier and costlier than softwood.
• This type of wood contains a lot of natural oil; therefore, it takes a longer time to season or dry properly before it becomes suitable for carpentry work.

Softwood timber is most commonly used for panelling of walls and ceilings, indoor furniture, doors, windows, ornamental carving, motifs and cornices.

Softwood species include pine, cedar, fir, redwood, cypress and deodar.

Pros

• Softwood has a very smooth natural texture in the raw state and is easy to work with. It is the most preferred wood when it comes to making furniture with curves and soft edges, as it gives a smooth and flawless finish.
• Softwood trees grow very quickly, which makes softwood a highly sustainable natural resource.
• Softwood timber is much cheaper than hardwood.
• This type of wood is available in a variety of colours ranging from pale yellow to light brown. Note that both hardwood and softwood can be coated with polish, paint or varnish.

Cons

• Softwood is open-grained, hence it is not dense, strong and durable like hardwood.
• This type of wood is not suitable in areas that are subjected to high wear and tear or the outdoors. However, certain manufacturers do use softwood for fabricating outdoor furniture after treating it with biocides (which prevent termite infestation) to improve the durability of softwood.
• Softwood has poor resistance to fire because of its low density.
• As a material, softwood also has the tendency to break down faster and is prone to scratches. The average longevity of softwood furniture is around 10–15 years, depending on the quality of softwood.