A List of 5 Soft Woods

Cedar

• Cedar is reddish and is well known for the fresh fragrance it carries. Though not very common, yellow cedars are also found. It is straight-grained and one of the easiest woods to work on and has a uniform texture. It does not decay easily and is resistant to termites. Cedar is commonly used to make chests, cabinet linings and posts, boards used in docks, Venetian blinds and other ornamental articles. It can resist moisture, so it is commonly used for exterior applications also. Though it is light in weight, it is very firm and hard.

Fir

• Fir is a reddish brown straight-grained coniferous tree wood. The grains can be seen very clearly. It is commonly used for building. Fir is quite inexpensive and can be used to make furniture. Unlike most other softwood varieties, the grains in fir do not look good. The wood absorbs stains easily. Hence, fir can be used only when you intend to paint the surface. It is commonly available, tough and stable.

Pine

• Pinewood is very suitable for making furniture and is very commonly found in United States. It is available in different varieties like sugar, white and yellow. This softwood is easily workable and can be carved into shapes easily. It is straight-grained and cheap. All varieties of pine tend to absorb stains, so should be sealed or polished before they are made into furniture. One of the pine varieties, the Ponderosa pine, drips sap so is used only after treating. Pine is easily available.

Spruce

• Spruce is a very tough and strong softwood. This softwood has a good finish and is resistant to moisture and decay. It is very light and easily workable but hard to cut. It has a low shrinkage and does not take stains. Spruce is commonly used for exterior applications like masts in ships, spars and parts of aircraft, boxes, ladders, exterior furniture and crates. Spruce is also used for making window frames and panes.

Redwood

• Redwood is also highly resistant to moisture. Hence it is commonly used for exterior purposes. It is soft and has straight grains. As the name indicates, it is reddish. It is easy to work with and is not very costly. This wood is treated to increase its durability. It has lots of knots in it. Redwood is also used to construct cabinets, shelves and roofs.