Hardwood in the Woodworking Industry.

The woodworking industry classifies lumber into hardwood and softwood. This classification is often a bit confusing because the term hardwood can quickly mean that it consists of wood types that are physically hard. Yes, in general, the hardwood timber usually has higher hardness than the softwood. However, there are several types of wood that are classified as hardwood that are physically softer than softwood lumber, while some softwoods are harder than the hardwood. Balsa is a softer hardwood with more hardness than most of the softwood. While yew or coconut trees are some samples of the “hard” softwood, which has a harder hardness than most hardwood. But, however, the hardest hardwood is still much harder than the hardest softwood.
The hardwood is defined as the wood produced by the dichotylae (non-angiosperm) tree. This type of tree proliferates naturally by seeds. When the seed starts to grow, its seed will split into two and then grow as a tree with many branches. This type of tree can be recognized because it has a taproot and broad leaves. In the “four seasons” area, the tree sheds its leaves during the fall and winter and grows its leaves during the spring and summer. In the tropics or sub-tropics, they actually act the same, but because there are no drastic differences in climate, they still have their green leaves and remain evergreen forever.

 

hardwood tree

 picture is from: wood preservation

The hardwood traits could be seen on the wood cell structure, which is reflected in the pattern of grain and pores of the wood. The hardwood grows in diameter with the formation of new cells in the cambium as the initial of the wood formation. The cambium grows to become sapwood and finally becomes the heartwood as the final form. The wood formation growth has an annual cycle that depends on the tree species and climatic conditions. The cycle of the seasons of the year will be reflected in the annual cycle of trees reflected in the pattern of grains and pores.

hardwood cambium structure

picture is taken from:  jenis-jenis hutan tropis

There are many hardwood timber species, and generally they are used in the woodworking industry because of their uniqueness and beauty instead of their strength and functionality. Some types of wood, such as rosewood, walnut, rosewood, teak, mahogany, and oak are examples of the hardwood, which is not only hard and strong but also has a beautiful appearance. We can find much hardwood is used as raw material for furniture, flooring, doors, paneling, walls, and many decorative products.
The hardwood timber is comprised of many species, each of which has a special look and character. The wood processing has to be done carefully in order to keep the quality of the timber. The proper cutting, drying and machining are needed to produce wood that is not only physically strong but also beautiful and unique. The anti-fungi and anti-insect chemicals are needed at the cutting process to prevent the problems caused by fungi or insects. The drying process should be done in control; too fast drying could spoil the appearance of the wood. The machining, designing, and finishing should also be according to the uniqueness and natural beauty of wood.