Softwood
Softwood is wood obtained primarily from coniferous trees (mainly of the pine and fir families, collectively known as Spruce-pine-fir). With the exception of bald cypress, tamarack, and larch, softwood trees are evergreens. Softwood is mostly obtained from the Baltic, Scandinavia, and North America and is the source of about 80% of the world's production of timber. Softwoods of longleaf pine, douglas fir, and yew are much harder in the mechanical sense than several hardwoods.
Properties
Applications
In general softwood is easy to work: it forms the bulk of wood used by humans.
- Prime material for structural building components.
- Furniture.
- Millwork (mouldings, doors, windows)
- Raw material as pulp in the production of paper and board
- The finer softwoods find many specialty uses.
Controversies
A trade dispute over softwood lumber has been ongoing between Canada and the United States.