Processing produces a number of different forms in which hardwoods can be purchased.
The log is the starting point for all wood processing. It is a section of the trunk of a tree made up of an outer layer of bark beneath which is the outer living part of the trunk known as the sapwood. This surrounds the inner mass of the trunk called the heartwood. Because the sapwood contains food material, it is less durable than heartwood. When a log has been cut into lumber it must be allowed to dry or season.