Solid timber can be classed as either hardwood or softwood but these woods can be processed and combined to make manufactured boards.
Wood is a natural material and therefore timber (wood in its natural state) is prone to changes in shape and size but manufactured boards are more stable and available in larger sheets.
Natural hardwood are beautiful to look at and give off a warmth however hardwoods have knots (imperfections) and are more difficult to cut, saw, and finish, and often are prone to bending / twisting / warping.Â
Wood is a sustainable material as we can grow more as long as we manage forests correctly. Due to its organic nature every piece of wood, like humans, is unique in its size, grain and colour.
Plywood is made from real layers of woods stuck together. This is called laminating.
Manufactured boards can be covered in very thin layers of more expensive wood. These are called veneers. Ikea & Index Living do this for lots of their furniture so that they can make it cheaply but it looks expensive.