Differences Between Hardwood and Softwood

Hardwood is generally obtained from broad-leaved or deciduous trees, while softwood is obtained from trees with needle-shaped branches or conifers. The significant differences between hardwood and softwood are given below.

S.no	Hardwood	Softwood
1	Hardwood is dark in color.	Softwood is light in color.
2	Hardwood is heavy in weight.	Softwood is lightweight.
3	Hardwoods are more complex and denser.	Softwoods are comparatively lighter.
4	Hardwood has less resin content.	Feed softwoods are resinous.
5	Hardwood doesn’t split quickly.	Softwood gets split quickly.
6	Hardwood is difficult to work.	Softwood is easy to work.
7	Its annual rings are close and often indistinct.	Its annual rings are well-spaced and quite distinct.
8	It is slow-growing.	It is fast-growing.
9	It has good tensile and shear resistance.	It has good tensile resistance but is weak across the fibers.
10	It doesn’t catch fire very easily.	It catches fire very soon.
11	Hardwood is typically more expensive than softwood.	Softwood is typically less expensive than hardwood.
12	Alder, beech, hickory, mahogany, maple, teak, oak, and walnut are examples of hardwood trees.	Softwood trees include cedar, douglas fir, juniper, pine, spruce, redwood, and yew.