There are two broad categories of timber available: softwood and hardwood. Softwood comes from trees that have cones, like cedar, fir and pine. These are quick growing, and the wood is lighter, has a coarse grain and is not as strong as most hardwoods. You will have seen softwoods in house frames, and it's http://concreet.comyr.com used a lot in temporary structures. While in general softwoods are considered inferior to hardwoods for many purposes they do have their place in the woodworking world for specific jobs and because they are economical. In building they are commonly used for the framework of houses and areas such as lining boards and cladding. Hardwoods by comparison are heavy, strong and stable. They are used predominantly for piers, flooring, decking and in most timber furniture. Teak, Red Gum and Oak are examples of hard wood.