What is the difference between hardwood and softwood?

 

If you’re looking to build a new deck, choosing the right decking material and the right deck fastening system are major considerations. There are many excellent choices of hardwood, softwood, and composite materials which pros and cons for each. Today, we are going to focus on hardwood vs. softwood and share how you can choose the right hidden clips for your decking projects with either choice. 


First, it should be stated that “soft” wood and “hard” wood are not characteristics that we would feel by manipulating a board with your hands - this is more of a terminology to describe the different structures and decorative abilities of each. They come from different types of trees, many times from different parts of the world.


Softwood

When many folks think of a standard 2x4 beam outside of the industry, they are likely thinking of a softwood product. Softwoods are sourced from all around the world and have a diverse application from furniture, to decking, to structures, and everything in between. The versatility of these types of woods and because they are readily available, they generally cost less as well. They are easily manipulated and weigh less because they are from trees that are less dense. It is certainly possible to build a deck with these types of woods, but a lot of attention needs to be paid to finishing work and decking sealer upon installation. Homeowners can use a deck fastening system to seamlessly install these boards as well using traditional decking screws or a hidden clip decking system to hide the fasteners. 


Hardwood

Coming from trees that grow slower, this wood is denser and can be used in a wide arrange of applications. Many homeowners look to use hardwood as well because of the different species of trees that are available, and the different colors and designs once they are milled. Between the longer grow times and processing times (for drying, etc), these wood generally cost more but also last longer. In terms of both strength and durability, hardwood has many advantages. This sort of strength can pose challenges for assembling a deck, however, because of the density. There are transitional deck fastening systems that can securely tie-down each board of your deck, but what is you want to have a seamless deck to show the beauty of your hardwood? That is where hidden clips for decking systems come into place. 


Deck Fastening System Recommendation: 

Our #1 recommendation for either type of wood is Black Talon Universal hidden clips for decking. These strong and durable clips hold down your deck boards while maintaining a seamless outward appearance of your deck. Learn more about these at https://www.blacktalonuniversal.com/



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