Is American Redwood A Hardwood

The mechanical values listed at the top of the page represent the averages between both old growth lumber and second growth lumber.

Is american redwood a hardwood.

A north american redwood tree is one of the world s tallest trees. Redwood has a rating of roughly 450 pounds while cedar has just 350 pounds. The higher the number the more durable the hardwood is expected to be. With less abundance than western cedar redwood stands as another rot resistant softwood.

Wood is categorized into two groups based on their density as softwood and hardwood. In the following chart chart 1 you will note that cedar weights. Most softwoods have a lower density than most hardwoods. Wood products are known for their natural beauty but when selecting a type of wood for your next cabinetry flooring furniture or millwork project it is important to also consider the level of durability by understanding the difference between wood types.

Redwood is considered a softwood because it is a gymnosperm but redwood for flooring is considered a hardwood and it is considered the median. Redwood lumber is very soft and lightweight with a decent strength to weight ratio. The density of a wood is determined based on the multiple growths and physiological factors such as age diameter height radial growth geographical location site and growing conditions etc. There is one coastal california sequoia sempervirens tree that holds the tallest tree record at nearly 380 feet it is called hyperion many of these trees locations are not given due to land property concerns logging issues and complications from unofficial visitors.

In addition to the basics where they grow general description and abundance. Hardwood is typically more expensive than softwood. The wood s appearance is characterized by a curly grain with old growth having a deeper red color. This guide features 20 of the most abundant and most often used hardwood species.

As a resource american hardwoods are abundant renewing and sustainable and an excellent choice for eco effective design and building. Examples of softwood trees are cedar douglas fir juniper pine redwood spruce and yew. The guide to american hardwood species. When you compare the janka rating scores on both redwood and cedar there is a clear winner.

It is also exceptionally stable with very little shrinkage or seasonal movement. Using the janka scale redwood is 1290 and used as a. Wood density and specific gravity the following chart will tell you how much weight you can expect from your wood selection. A simple comparison of the lb ft3 of cedar and any other species will tell you what you can expect in added weight.

Types of wood comparing american hardwoods softwoods and tropical hardwoods.