Ok so I usually write all of our blogs, using my knowledge or my own research but today I have asked Sam to give us a little insight into his own knowledge after I overheard him teaching one of our lovely new apprentices the difference between hard and soft woods. Here is what he had to say:
"Hard woods are used all over the world for building houses, frames, boats and a huge range of other products .....they are as the word describes them incredibly hard to the touch and dense to feel and very hard wearing . They are less likely to rot and will grow to a very old age. They are slow growers and are deciduous which means they lose all their leaves ( think of a country park in the autumn covered in leaves- they will prodomanatley be from a hardwood trees.) Examples are Oak, Iroko, Idigbo and Beech and they often bear a nut or a fruit.
Soft wood is much less dense, it is not as strong nor as brittle so it's much easier to get nails in. It will rot overtime and won't last as long. It's perfect for lighting a fire and burns really well. It is mostly used for fencing, roofing and house manufacture. They are mostly evergreen and keep their leaves throughout the winter. Pine, redwood, douglas-fir are all good examples! "
I found this all pretty informative!!! Thanks Sam! In true wife form I double checked and his explanations were pretty spot on! Nothing like being an expert in your own field hey Sam?
If you would like to see more of Sam's handywork away from From The Oak Tree then please take a look at Hortus Ligneous Ltd.
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