What’s the difference between hardwood and softwood?
Hardwood and softwood are broad biological terms used to describe species of wood. The terms have nothing to do with the physical hardness of the wood. Hardwoods come from broadleaved trees and softwood species from coniferous, evergreen trees. There is a wide range of species of wood within each category that are highly suitable for decking. The important factor for wood used out of doors is that it is durable enough to resist fungal decay. This means using a hardwood classified as naturally durable (some are not) or a softwood given extended durability through pressure treatment. Over 90% of all decks are made from suitable pressure treated softwoods because of their availability, ease of working and cost effectiveness. Hardwoods come in a range of attractive colours. They tend to be more expensive and require more care to work with than softwoods. Always use timber from sustainable forest sources.
