There is just something about wood that never gets old. Whether it is the furniture you decorate your house with, utensils you use, or the floors of the house that you walk, wood has the magic of making everything look meaningful and beautiful. However, you can work the same way with every wood. Different varieties of wood are preferred to be used for certain things. For example, you cannot use a water sensitive wood for outdoor furniture where they will be in contact with the water and moisture almost all the time.

With that said, following are some types of wood and how you can work with them;

• Softwood

Softwood is the wood that is made out of trees that produce cones and have needles. Such type of trees is scientifically known as the gymnosperms. Softwood is extremely resistant to any kind of rotting and they do not attract insects as well. So, they are great to be used in outdoor furniture.

One of the examples of softwood is Sequoia, which is considered one of the most expensive woods in the world. This is because the Sequoia trees are massive in size, they are the tallest trees of the world. Their wood has a beautiful red color because of which they are also known as the redwood.

It is extremely water-resistant so great to be used for outdoor purposes like decks and the borders of your garden.

Another renowned softwood is Cedar that is known for its aromatic smell. However, the same aromatic smell can also be the cause of allergies and irritation for other people. So make sure that you are wearing goggles and mask while working with it. And avoid using it for the kitchen and its utensils. Or anything that might be used for food and will be in contact with human skin a lot.

• Hardwood

While softwood is made out of trees that have needles and produce cones, Hardwood is of trees that have leaves and seeds. Scientists call such trees angiosperms.

Alder wood is a type of hardwood that is white when it is freshly cut. But as it gets more exposed to the air and the sunlight, it changes its color to a beautiful, warm, and cozy honey brown. Alder wood has a straight grain and hence is extremely easy to use for carving or machining. In case you are thinking about painting it, then make sure that you sand it before to smooth out its surface. Because that would make the task of painting Alder wood very easy.

However, unlike Sequoia, the Alder tree is not very large. So, its wood is also available in small to medium sizes. So, if you want them for bigger projects like making a table or any other furniture item, it will a struggle for you to find it in your required size and even if you are successful in doing so, it might be too expensive.

So, we would recommend that you use them for smaller objects like a photo frame or other decorative objects.

Some of the other famous woods that fall into the category of hardwood are oak, walnut, mahogany, maple, and cherry.

Sponsored Content