Is Balsa Wood A Hardwood Or A Softwood

That is hardwood isn t necessarily denser than softwood.

Is balsa wood a hardwood or a softwood.

There are many more types of hardwood trees than there are softwood. It is the softest commercial hardwood. The name balsa comes from the spanish word for raft. Balsa wood is very soft and light and is commonly used in model aeroplane building but it is not technically classified as a softwood.

The hardwood softwood terminology does make some sense. The distinction between the two woods lies within their reproduction. Although the wood of a balsa tree is soft balsa is a hardwood. Likewise balsa wood is classified as a hardwood and yet it s one of the least dense and softest types of.

For instance yew wood is classified as a softwood but is considerably tougher than certain hardwoods. For example balsa wood which is known as one of the lightest woods in the world is actually a hardwood. Being a deciduous angiosperm balsa is classified as a hardwood despite the wood itself being very soft. Balsa has excellent sound heat and vibration insulating properties and is also incredibly buoyant.

This happens to be generally true but there are exceptions such as in the cases of wood from yew trees a softwood that is relatively hard and wood from balsa trees a. In fact balsa is the spanish word for raft. Balsa lumber is very soft and light with a coarse open grain. Broad leafed flowering trees are hardwoods.

The terms hardwood and softwood don t relate to the weight or density of the wood but to the tree type. The trees are harvested after six to 10 years of growth. Evergreens do tend to be less dense than deciduous trees and therefore easier to cut while most hardwoods tend to be more dense and therefore sturdier. The difference between hardwood and softwood.

Yet despite its softness balsa is technically classified as a hardwood rather than a softwood since it has broad leaves and is not a conifer. The balsa tree is deciduous and classified as an angiosperm which is the same classification as a hardwood such as an oak tree. This may come as a shock to some of you but hardwood isn t necessarily harder than softwood and vice versa. But as the classification of balsa wood demonstrates there is no minimum weight requirement to become a hardwood.

See wikipedia for more information about balsa.