Choosing the most appropriate timber for furniture is quite a task. Selecting the right one enables the wooden fixtures at home and offices to last for a long time. Timber is either hardwood or softwood depending on its physical makeup. Each timber has its own characteristics. It varies from appearance to density and workability.

Difference between hardwood and softwood

Characteristics	Softwood	Hardwood
Source	Softwood is known to be from conifer trees. Conifer trees are evergreen and have needle-shaped leaves. They belong to the category of gymnosperms	Hardwood comes from deciduous trees. These trees are known to lose leaves in the autumn. They belong to the angiosperms category.
Weight	Just as its name, softwood is light weighted and much softer than  hardwood.	Hardwood, just like its name, is heavier and much rigid than softwood.
Fibre	These are comparatively less dense. Strait fibre is present in softwood	Hardwood’s fibre is more close and dense
Colour	It is light in colour	They are dark coloured wood
Resin quality	Softwood is a resinous wood. It contains a good and regular texture and a fragrant smell.	These are the non-resinous woods that are considered non-acidic.
Weather protection	They can possess the quality of being resistant if modified and treated well.	Hardwoods are incredibly resistant to weather and have a much lesser environmental impact on them.
Ring structure	Well-defined annuals rings appear on softwood	The annual rings are not distinct.
Workability	Software is easier to carve	Just like its name, it is tedious to carve in any shape.
Cost	These are less expensive	Hardwoods are the carrier of some impeccable qualities, so they are a bit expensive.
Growth rate	Softwood trees grow faster than hardwood	They take much more time to grow
Durability	Softwood is less durable	Highly durable wood
Tensile and shear strength	These are well tensile and have weaker sheer strength	The Impressive tensile and shear strength
Wood branching	Creates more branches and shoots	Have fewer shoots
Uses	They are used to produces paper pulp, solid wood products, woodwares like home and cabins	It is sued for making heavy furniture. Also used for papermaking
Example	Black willow, Redwood are few examples of softwood	Sugar maple, Eucalyptus and more.

If you are familiar with anyone who works in the furniture business, you must have noticed them advising you to go for hardwood furniture. These people hardly seem to mention softwood. These characteristics are the reasons why hardwood is preferred over softwood when it comes to making furniture. Softwood is best for flooring, decking, and veneers.  For making robust and durable furniture, hardwood from oak, maple, cherry, and hickory are highly desirable. Furniture made from hardwood is capable of handling abuse from daily use. It stays the same and looks great year after year.

Takeaway:

The difference in their characteristics is what makes them suitable for different jobs. One is appropriate for roofing, flooring, panelling and cladding, while the other is used for making stronger items like furniture.