---
title: "Hard wood versus soft wood"
subject: "Civil Engineering Materials"
chapter: 7
key: "semester_3/civil_engineering_materials:hard-wood-soft-wood"
source: https://www.bctengineer.com/q/semester_3/civil_engineering_materials/hard-wood-soft-wood
site: BCT Engineering
---

# Hard wood versus soft wood

Civil Engineering Materials · Chapter 7: Timber

- Asked in: 2081 Kartik (new course), 1.5 marks; 2065 Shrawan (old course), 4 marks (asked 2 times)
- Video: [What Kind of Wood Should You Build With? | WOODWORKING BASICS](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y7gLvEYoBu0) — Steve Ramsey - Woodworking for Mere Mortals
- Answer checked by Claude Opus 5.5 (high effort) on 2026-10-14
- Page: https://www.bctengineer.com/q/semester_3/civil_engineering_materials/hard-wood-soft-wood
- Whole chapter: https://www.bctengineer.com/md/semester_3/civil_engineering_materials/chapter-7

## Question

Write the distinctive properties of hard wood and soft wood.

## Short answer

Hardwood from broad-leaved trees is dark, dense, strong, durable, and hard to work. Softwood from conifers is light, pale, straight-grained, less durable, easy to work, and cheaper, used for framing and shuttering.

## Answer

**Hardwood** comes from broad-leaved (deciduous) trees such as sal, teak, oak, shisham and mahogany. **Softwood** comes from needle-leaved (coniferous) trees such as pine, deodar, cedar and fir.

| Property | Hardwood | Softwood |
|---|---|---|
| Source | Broad-leaved deciduous trees | Coniferous trees |
| Growth | Slow | Fast |
| Colour | Dark | Light |
| Weight/density | Heavy, dense | Light |
| Grain | Close, compact | Open, straight |
| Annual rings | Not clearly distinct | Distinct, easily seen |
| Medullary rays | Distinct | Not distinct |
| Resin | Absent | Often present |
| Strength | Strong in tension, compression and shear | Strong along the grain (tension), weak in shear and across the grain |
| Durability | Durable, resists decay | Less durable, decays faster |
| Fire resistance | More | Less (burns fast) |
| Workability | Difficult to work | Easy to work |
| Cost | High | Low |
| Uses | Furniture, beams, posts, flooring, doors | Roof frames, shuttering, packing, light framing, windows |

## Check yourself

The answer's key points as multiple-choice questions, with the correct option and why.

1. Hardwood comes from
   A. Coniferous trees
   B. Palms
   C. Bamboo only
   D. Broad-leaved deciduous trees
   Answer: D. Hardwood is from broad-leaved trees. (Key point: Source)

2. Compared with hardwood, softwood grows
   A. Faster
   B. Slower
   C. At the same rate
   D. Only inward
   Answer: A. Softwood is fast growing. (Key point: Growth)

3. Resin is
   A. Present in hardwood only
   B. Often present in softwood and absent in hardwood
   C. Present in both equally
   D. Absent in both
   Answer: B. Conifers produce resin. (Key point: Resin)

4. Softwood is typically used for
   A. Only heavy beams and posts
   B. Only flooring
   C. Roof frames, shuttering and packing
   D. Only piles
   Answer: C. Softwood is for light framing and shuttering. (Key point: Uses)

## Related in Civil Engineering Materials

- [Physical and mechanical properties of wood](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_3%2Fcivil_engineering_materials%3Aphysical-mechanical-properties-wood) — Civil Engineering Materials, chapter 7

## Related in other subjects

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- [Hysteresis loop energy, hard and soft magnetic materials](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_4%2Felectrical_machines_i%3Ahysteresis-area-energy-hard-soft) — Electrical Machines I, chapter 1
- [Hard vs soft magnetic materials for relays](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_3%2Felectrical_engineering_material%3Ahard-soft-relay) — Electrical Engineering Material, chapter 4
- [Hard magnets and soft high-frequency materials](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_3%2Felectrical_engineering_material%3Ahard-permanent-soft-high-frequency) — Electrical Engineering Material, chapter 4