Industrial Hardwood

All hardwood species used in industrial hardwood products are derived from deciduous trees – meaning trees that have leaves rather than needles, lose their leaves in the Winter, and flower in the Spring. In the United States, some examples of hardwoods are Elm, Hickory, Cherry, and Oak. These trees are typically found throughout New England, the majority of the East Coast, and the Pacific Northwest. It’s in these old-growth forests that hardwoods grow and thrive.

Compared to softwood species groups, such as SYP and SPF, hardwood trees require much more time to develop and mature. Rather than being harvested at 20-30 years old, hardwood trees aren’t ready to be processed into lumber until they’re well into their ‘60s or ‘70s. That means that there is less generally less of it available and it commands higher prices.