Hardwoods like oak, maple, and cherry are amongst the most popularly used woods. Hardwoods are highly preferred in many industries, be it musical instruments or cabinets. Their properties have attracted many eyes in the past few decades.
Hardwoods are unique in themselves. However, like any other thing, they have their loopholes as well. While hardwoods are extremely strong and durable goods, they can also be a burden at times.
They have their own pros and cons. So, let us discuss them in detail to get a better idea about hardwoods and why they are preferably the best or worst.
Advantages of Hardwood
1. Extreme Durability
Hardwoods are dense woods that range around 800-1500 in the Janka rating. That answers why they are extremely durable. Most hardwoods are naturally very durable and do not take damage easily. They can avoid scratches and dents, and some are also highly resistant to rot and decay. To add more to their advantages, they are also fire resistant which most softwoods are not. That makes hardwoods more durable than other woods and also a safe choice.
2. High Strength and Stability
It is by nature that high density also brings higher strength. They are tougher than any other kind of wood and do not warp easily. That makes them highly suitable for making large furniture. And with strength comes stability. They do not shrink or swell easily and provides longevity. Thus, providing higher stability than soft and engineered woods.
3. Low Maintenance
Hardwoods require low maintenance. They can provide equally good performance as other woods even with minimal care. Due to their durability and stability, regular or extra care is not required for their maintenance. They are also easy to repair and have good workability. That makes woodworkers easily able to produce and remake hardwood constructions.
Disadvantages of Hardwood
1. Costlier
Although hardwoods are advantageous for their durability and strength. That property itself results in higher prices. They are in high demand that makes them expensive and harder to get. Above that, deciduous trees, hardwood yielding trees grow at a slower pace, unlike softwood trees. That makes hardwood less available and costlier.
2. Requires more effort
Due to higher density, hardwoods require more effort and time to make products. While they have good workability, they are dense and hard and can be difficult to carve, cut, or turn. Thus, it makes workers work with more effort than the amount required while dealing with a softwood. They are also heavy woods. Although not all, most hardwoods are heavy. Hand tools are not the go-to option while working with hardwoods.
3. Slow Growth Rate
Hardwood yielding trees, as mentioned earlier, grows at a slower pace than other trees. They require a longer time to replenish due to this reason. That makes hardwood even costlier and less available. While it is safe to say that they are not scarce, they take valuable time to be available.
So we can see hardwoods have their own pros and cons. They can be the best and worst at the same time. However, they are an important source of many projects. It is a fact that you pay for quality, and hardwoods are worth it.
