There are many different types of wood and the categorization is on based on their basic characteristics. In this case, there are two known categories of wood; hardwood and softwood. Hardwood is a type of wood that is leaf bearing while softwood on the other hand is any wood that bears cone. Here is a list of wood types and their individual characteristics and uses.

Types of Softwood

Cedar

This wood type has a reddish brown color and has a sweet odor. It is usually uniform in texture and decay resistant. Thus its properties has made it to be used in closet lining, dock planks, post, chest and box making.

Fir

It is a uniformly textured, non-resinous and easy to work with wood. Unlike cedar, it has a low resistance to decay. Its properties has made it be used in making furniture, windows, frames, doors, plywood, veneer, interior trim and general millwork.

Pine

Pine is a uniformly textured easy to work with wood type. It is highly resistant to both swelling and shrinking. In addition, it is light in weight, straight grained and lacks figure. It is usually used in making furniture, panels, wooden boxes and in house construction.

Spruce

This is a strong wood that usually finishes well and has low decay resistance. It is light and has moderate shrinkage ability. It has been used for years in making; crates, ladders and boxes.

Hemlock

This is a light in weight and uniformly textured wood type. It possesses a low decay resistance, is non-resinous and finishes well. Its uses include; construction lumber and making doors, planks, boards, sub flooring, paneling and crates.

Redwood

This is another easy to work with wood type that is light and durable. It is a wood type that is naturally resistant to decay. Thus it is suitable for making outdoor furniture, fences, interior finish and panels. It is important to note that redwood is rare and valuable.

Linden

This softwood is soft and easy to work with. It is also light in weight and has a fine grain. The properties of linden have made it to be used for making shields and sculpture.

Cypress

It is decay, insect and chemical resistant wood and this is the reason why it has many uses today. It is easy to work with and some of its uses include; making interior panels, cabinets, furniture, millwork and others.

Hickory

This is a heavy and hard wood that has a close grain and has no much figure. It is used in making veneers.

Ash

This wood has straight grain and is pale brown in color. It is easy to work with and takes finishes well. It is less expensive and is used in making frames and furniture.

Types of Hardwood

Mahogany

Mahogany is a strong wood with a pore structure that is uniform. It is reddish brown in color and is usually used in making furniture, boats and veneer.

Teak

This type of wood is hard and has the ability of resisting decay, warping and cracking. It is usually suitable for making furniture, ships, doors, panels and window frames.

Oak

This is a strong, heavy and a light in color hardwood. It has a prominent grain and a coarse texture in most cases. It is usually used in making furniture, boat frames and wooden desks.

Shesham

This is a hardwood that is known for its mid brown color and deep grains. It is durable and easily carved making it suitable for making furniture and cabinets.

Maple

Maple is known to be hard and has moderate resistance to shrinkage. Additionally, it has a fine texture making it suitable for flooring, and making furniture and some woodenware.

Rosewood

This hardwood has a reddish brown color, exclusive fragrance and close grains. It is a hardwood that is very hard to work on and therefore requires too much polish. It is also very hard and thus suitable for making musical instruments.

Walnut

This hardwood is easy to work with because of its strength and fine texture. It is resistant to decay, shrinking and warping. Thus it is used for making furniture, novelties and panels.

Cherry

Just like walnut, it resists shrinking and warping. It has a close grain and reddens when exposed to the sun. It is used in making cabinets, novelties and furniture.

Birch

This is a hard and heavy wood that can be reddish or light brown in color. Although it is a rare wood, it is not expensive and is normally used in making veneer.

Poplar

This hardwood is easy to work with and is less expensive. It is termed as the most beautiful of all woods. Thus it is used for making drawers.

This should be a complete list of the types of wood. If I’ve forgotten your favorite, let me know in the comments.