Hardwood - Definition and Overview

The term hardwood designates wood from angiosperm trees. Hardwood contrasts with softwood, which comes from gymnosperm (coniferous) trees. They are in general of higher density and hardness, but there is considerable variation in actual wood hardness in both groups, with a large amount of overlap.

Hardwoods are usually used in appearance products such as furniture, flooring, etc. In some regions where softwood is scarce, such as Australia, hardwood may also be used for structural components of constructions.

See List of woods

External link

• Center for Wood Anatomy Research (http://www2.fpl.fs.fed.us/TechSheets/techmenu.html)