Like many people you are not alone and the choices can be overwhelming.
Timber can be divided into two categories Hardwoods (Angiosperms) which come from the broad leaved trees (i.e. drop their leaves and produce seeds), or Softwoods (Gymnosperms) which come form conifer trees (i.e. trees that have needles and do not produce seeds). All wood has a durability classification rating, the higher the Janka rating the more durable the timber.
Where possible the use of recycled and sustainable timbers that have been certified by the Australian Forestry Standards (AFS) should be used when completing projects to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
For more information on sustainable forestry click Responsible Wood.
Take a look at our table below or click here to download a copy with the most common types of hardwoods, softwoods, ratings and most common uses for each timber in Australia.
