Which woods are best for which types of projects and products in the home

There are two dividing factors in wood and the main types, these are hard woods and soft woods. As these two categories suggest the properties vary depending on the type of hardness, but it is NOT the wood toughness or density, but the hardness of the seed pod, or lack thereof! So a pine tree will have seeds exposed in a cone which makes it soft and an oak tree will have acorns which are encased in a hard shell, making them hard.

Having described this it is true to say that most hardwoods are denser and have stronger properties, however there is no minimum density of fiber to be considered a hardwood and there are notable exceptions to the rule of hard and soft trees.

Predominantly hardwoods will survive longer in a natural state, if softwoods get wet they will deteriorate much more rapidly than hardwoods. Moisture as well as other atmospheric conditions align the hard wood as the more durable material and is therefore used more often for exterior or built frame applications, like the timbers in a roof, the walls and decking outside type of environments, whereas softwoods will predominantly be used for interior applications. Clearly there are many many exceptions like interior shutters being used in homes, or hardwood kitchen worktops (see our Interior design wood pages for more information). Hardwoods are being used to a greater extent where strength and durability are required. As said items like solid furniture, solid shutters, and louvered shutters, flooring will often be hardwoods, many seats and dining furniture so on and so forth.

H2 Wood types within hardwood and softwood categories.

We'll be listing particular wood types within their categories here, listing different types of hard wood and softwood, where they come from and what they are used for locally and nationally. Wood is becoming increasingly expensive as it is becoming more rare, interior design products have looked to new materials over the last few decades, however wood is having a comeback, due to it's inspirational qualities, so we'll be focussing on what they are used for and why, allowing our visitors to make informed choices when sourcing wooden interior design products and choose the right materials for the right job if involved with some DIY or craft making.