When looking at wood for furniture, flooring or home enhancement, you will come across the question of which wood to use. There are many options, such as oak, elm, birch, pine wood, cedar and many more.
Hardwood and softwood are the two main categories of wood. Let’s look into them:
Hardwoods: Hardwood timber, as the name suggests, comes from hardwood trees. These trees are deciduous and slow-growing. These kinds of trees are found in North America, Africa and Europe. There are various hardwood trees; some popular ones are teak, oak, elm, cherry, walnut, beech, birch, ash and mahogany.
Hardwoods are mostly used for flooring but can be used for cladding, fencing, panelling and outdoor decks.
Hardwoods have some pros and cons:
Pros of Hardwood:
Immensely durableHardwoods have more density compared to softwoods which makes them strongerEasy to repair and requires little to no maintenanceMuch better at resisting fire
Cons of hardwoods:
More expensive than softwoodsDifficult to craft due to its densityIt can be noisy if you decide to use it for flooring
Softwoods: Unlike hardwood trees, softwood trees grow quicker and produce softer wood. They are also easier to work with and are inexpensive. These trees are lighter in colour and have lower densities. Some popular softwood trees are cedar, larch, spruce, fir and pine. Due to being inexpensive, softwoods are the most popular source of timber in the world.
Softwoods are the popular choice for doors, walls, ceilings, furniture and windows.
The pros and cons of Softwood:
Pros of Softwood
It is more versatile than hardwoods and has a much broader range of applicationsThey grow much faster than hardwood trees. They are considered a renewable source of wood, and it friendlier to the environment.Easier to source, hence they are cheaper to buy
Cons of Softwood:
They tend to have a lower density compared to hardwood, making them weaker and less durableSoftwood wears out more quickly compared to hardwoods and is not recommended for high-traffic areasUnless specially treated, softwoods are susceptible to fire and offer very little fire resistance.
The pine and cedar comparison
Pine wood and cedar wood are softwoods, and both of these softwoods have their own qualities.
Cedar wood is tougher than pine wood, but pine wood has great demand due to pine wood texture and pine wood price as it is less expensive than cedar
Advantages of Pine wood
As compared to the heaviness of other wood such as Oakwood, pine wood is way lighter, and this is why it is easy to move it when rearranging furniture.
Pine looks subtly stunning in its natural colour. There exists an option to simply natural stain it or coat varnish to make it achieve an elegant look. Nonetheless, there are two reasons that make pine wood versatile enough to be stained r painted into any possible colour.
It is straight-grained with a fine and uniform texture. All types of pine wood are light-coloured.Be it light or dark, stained or painted, finished or unfinished, real pine wood can take any form to match existing furniture or derive the desired look in a new space. Due to this flexibility, pine compliments a diverse variety of designs and styles.
Advantages of cedar wood
Like pine wood, cedar is also quite lightweight.
Insects find Cedar’s natural oil repulsive and thus is it safe from insect infestation.
Cedar wood is known for its exceptional durability, and it is a great choice for exterior use as it does not swell, shrink or decay.
Which one should I choose?
The answer depends upon your budget and use. Pine wood price is considerably cheaper than cedar. While cedar is highly durable and ideal for outdoor flooring and decor, pine wood is more in demand due as people really like pine wood furniture and pine wood texture.
Where can I find the best pine wood supplier?
There are many, many wood suppliers across India and, indeed, the world. Some suppliers supply all kinds of wood all, while some specialise in one single type of wood. You should go with a supplier that deal in all kinds of wood and not just one.
The best option is to select a wood supplier which has good customer support service and is willing to work with you to help find the correct wood. The company should have all their credentials and certifications in order so that you can be assured that you will not be cheated and you will only receive the best quality wood.
You might think it’s not possible to find a company like that, but that’s where you will be wrong. There is Faith Lumber, a company which prides itself on delivering only the perfect wood for home decor or any other wood-related project you may have in mind. Their products are trusted and recommended by architects, interior designers, and furniture manufacturers, sports goods manufacturers and they have expertise in making concepts into reality. They work directly with their clients to understand their specific needs and identify the perfect wood for their project.
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