The botanical terms softwoods and hardwoods indicate the basic cellular structure of the wood (hardwood structures are more complex) and how moisture moves within the living tree. They do not indicate the softness or hardness of particular timbers. Softwoods generally come from the coniferous species (e.g. pines, firs and spruces) and the timber is generally fine textured but not particularly light. All the hardwoods (e.g. eucalypts and oaks; even balsa which, at around 160 kg/m³, is the lightest and softest commercial timber) have broad leaves and the texture of the wood ranges from fine to coarse.
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