Wood falls into two categories – soft woods and hard woods. Hardwoods come from broad leaved trees that flower and produce seeds such as fruits or nuts. These trees tend to lose their leaves each winter and grow slower than softwood.

Hardwood is an expensive material compared to softwood and is a dense, strong material that is able to resist both fungal and insect attack.

When used in staircase building, there are many desired traits and benefits from choosing hardwood.

For example:

Hardwood staircases are easy to clean as they don’t gather dirt or dust as much as other materials like carpet.  Scratches and dents can always be fixed.

The tree’s dense cellular structure gives the timber incredible strength.

It is easier to match up with your flooring and interior.

Sadly, due to its slow growth rate, hardwood forests take longer to replenish

Due to its density, hardwood tends to be a lot harder to work with during construction.

Hardwood is commonly used for flooring but can also be used for cladding, panelling, buildings, fencing, boats, staircases and outdoor decks

Hardwood's rustic, coherent and beautiful appearance makes it hard to beat and can work alongside many styles, including modern, contemporary or classic.

Hardwood produces a very high-quality product that offers great durability over time and good fire resistance.

Hardwood is more expensive than softwood so if you're on a tight budget, softwood may be a better option.

Hardwood timber is cut from the stem or trunk of the tree. The trunk conducts sap from the roots, stores food, and supports the crown. Hardwood is a beautifully attractive and versatile wood due to its grains and markings and is used in the construction of many fine solid structures. Examples are Oak, Beech, and Mahogany.

Characteristics of Hardwood

In some species of hardwood there are many occurrences of grain stretches that are known as “Medullary rays”. They are completely natural and add a rich character and beauty to your oak piece. Medullary rays, also called Pith rays or Tiger marks, can often be mistaken for damaged, repaired or watermarked wood.

These Medullary rays are essential for the radial conduction of the water minerals and other organic substances. They transport the substances to centre periphery