The hardness or softness of woods is something most woodworkers need to know at some time or another. Thankfully the flooring industry (where hardness is crucial) has taken the time to test and rate most of the woods available around the world for their hardness.

Wood Strengths

This page provides laboratory values for several properties of wood that are associated with wood strength. Note that due to inadequacies of samples, these values may not necessarily represent average characteristics.

Part 1 - Where Wood Cuts Come From

Purchasing wood can get very expensive and if you are not sure what you are buying it can be more than a bit intimidating. When you are standing in front of thousands of board feet of wood, all priced differently and you don't know exactly what to choose, this should be your clue it's time to understand wood cuts.

Part 2 - . . . and Where to Use Them

Even though wood has been around as a building product for millions of years, it remains one of the most complex building products due to it inherent properties. The more you learn about wood the more there is know, and when you are a woodworker, understanding your building medium will put you miles ahead in saved time, costs and satisfaction with your projects.