What are differences between softwood and hardwood?
Soft wood is softer than hardwood. The rule of thumb is it is a hardwood if it loses its leaves in the winter (like a maple tree). Trees that don’t lose foliage in winter like pine trees are normally softwood. The reason is that most leaf losing trees grow slower than fir trees creating denser wood with smaller yearly rings. Some trees that lose their leaves in winter but still grow fast are considered softwood, like poplar trees.
