Wood Species

Wood is divided into two distinct kinds called hardwood and softwood, though confusingly the names don't always refer to its actual hardness or softness:

Hardwoods typically come from broad-leaved (deciduous) trees (those that drop their leaves each fall, also known as angiosperms because their seeds are encased in fruits or pods). Examples include ash, beech, birch, mahogany, maple, oak, teak, and walnut.
Softwoods typically come from evergreen (coniferous) trees (those that have needles and cones and retain them year-round, also called gymnosperms. Examples include cedar, cypress, fir, pine, spruce, and redwood.