Wood is classified as softwood or hardwood based on the type of tree it came from. Conifiers, or evergreen trees including pines and firs, are generally softwoods. The grain is more open and they take stain easily and evenly. However, the wood is easy to dent or mar, as anyone with young children can attest. Hardwoods are generally from decidious trees like maple, beech, cherry and walnut, and the grain is typically more uniform though it's dependent on the source of the lumber.

One of the hardest woods is the desert ironwood, a native of the Sonoran desert region. It is resistant to rotting, though this is not necessarily an endearing quality since toxic chemicals in the heartwood are probably responsible for the longevity. Although olive trees are evergreen trees, their wood is also quite hard and can be very old; centuries or even thousands of years old. On the down side: olive tree pollen is among the worst for allergens! Hardwoods are beautiful but rarely found in bead form.

The exotic hardwoods used for most beads are from Asian parawood, Filipino bayong and kamagong and roble wood from the Central American trumpet tree, as well as Taiwanese cheesewood that stained or painted in bold colors.

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