Hardwoods

Hardwoods are taken from deciduous trees. Deciduous trees grow slowly so their growth rings are close together. This means that the timber made from hardwood trees has a close grain and are generally very strong. Some hardwoods such as balsa however are not very strong at all.

Hardwoods can take over a hundred years to grow meaning it is important that forests are managed correctly to prevent the loss of ancient woodlands. 

Some hardwoods such as oak can be sourced in Britain although many other hardwoods only grow in tropical regions such as the Amazonian rain forest. When selecting timbers this is something that should be considered.

An oak tree