These trees usually have needles and cones, so you’ll recognize them as conifers such as spruce or pine trees. Pollinated trees form what are known as “naked seeds,” which drop to the ground or are spread by the wind and grow elsewhere. Softwood trees are gymnosperm trees, which reproduce by forming cones whose pollen is spread by the wind to other trees. Taught by professional builder Jordan Smith, the course covers topics that range from I-joists to shear strength. Learn all about the properties of wood and how wood is used in construction in the MT Copeland course on Wood Materials.

Understanding what distinguishes hardwoods from softwoods will help you understand the scale more easily. People may find confusing the fact that not only are the top hardest woods on the Janka Scale technically hardwoods, but so are the softest three woods. The scale is particularly useful for determining the performance of hardwood flooring and other applications. In fact, the construction industry uses a measurement called the Janka Hardness Scale to rank different woods by hardness, denting, and wear. The most common species of hardwoods in North America are maple, oak, hickory, birch, cherry, and beech. Think: decks, flooring, beams, paneling, and high-quality furniture. In construction, we use hardwoods for projects that might be exposed to the elements or that need to last. They tend to grow more slowly than softwoods, so they are usually more dense. In general, hardwood trees are deciduous, which means that they lose their leaves annually. They don’t include monocots, a type of angiosperm whose seed contains a single embryonic leaf, such as palm trees and bamboo. These types of hardwood trees include walnut, maple, oak, mahogany, teak, and hickory. They’re fertilized by birds and insects that carry the pollen to other trees, and when they’re fertilized, the trees form fruits, nuts, or seeds. Hardwoods are angiosperm trees, or plants that produce seeds with a covering.

What is wrot softwood