Pine wood is probably the most used wood in the world, mainly because of its abundance, cost-effectiveness, and nobility, i.e. the ease with which it can be worked. So, if you want to know which are the most important species in terms of timber and how they can be put to practical use, read on.
The 6 most used pine species in carpentry and construction
As mentioned in our blog about European woods (which we highly recommend), the majority of the most used woods in Europe are used for various purposes, especially in luxury goods. But, have you ever wondered what wood is used there and in the other continents when the budget is tight?
The quick answer is pine wood. For that reason, we have decided to create this blog focusing on the 6 main varieties of pine that are used on a daily basis in carpentry workshops and construction sites. Let’s get started.
Note: remember our blog on the basics of wood where we explain all the technical terms you need to know.
1. Southern Yellow Pine or Shortleaf Pine (Pinus echinata) Timber
Characteristics of the Southern Yellow Pine tree
| Location | This tree is native to the eastern and southern United States, found primarily in states such as New York, Oklahoma, Texas, and Florida. |
| Height | Between 20 and 30 meters on average. Specimens of more than 40 meters have been recorded. |
| Trunk diameter | From 0.5 to 0.9 meters. |
| Flowers | It does not have, as it produces cones. |
| Leaves | Its leaves are acicular, that is, needle-shaped, arranged in pairs or trios, with lengths between 7 to 11 centimeters. |
| Branches | Very thin, usually over 10 meters high and vertical to the trunk. |
| Habitat | These pines live in low-humidity environments, but they adapt very well as long as the soil has good drainage so that the water does not puddle. |
| Service life | The tree can exceed 300 years in ideal conditions. However, as this tree is intended for industrial timber production, its lifespan is greatly reduced in plantations. |
| Conservation status (IUCN) | IUCN Least Concern (Not threatened). |
Southern Yellow Pine is not the actual name of the tree but the name used to encompass a botanical group made up of the following four species:
- Pinus echinata.
- Pinus elliottii.
- Pinus palustris.
- Pinus taeda.
All of them are fast-growing conifers native to the United States covering various geographic regions of the country.
So, the important thing about this grouping is that once felled, the lumber of these four species is marketed under the name of Yellow Pine. In other words, the four species are practically the same in terms of timber, so we will only describe Pinus echinata, which is the most widely studied.
The Pinus echinata varies in shape: sometimes straight, sometimes crooked, but certainly the tallest of the four species. In addition, one characteristic of the tree is its tendency to prune itself by delimbing when affected by a pest or injury, i.e. it drops its own branches and leaves its trunk clear and free.
We can also say that the trees of the Yellow Pine group are abundant precisely because of the number of species that exist.
Characteristics of Southern Yellow Pine wood
Thanks to its great resistance to wear and mechanical stress, the wood of Pinus echinata is highly regarded in the construction industry.
Generalities and applications
This wood is considered by many to be the best wood for structural uses.
However, it is distributed in different ranges or grades after the procurement process.
Therefore, each grade limits certain characteristics, i.e., depending on the one you buy, you’ll have wood with more or fewer knots, cracks, and splits. These grades are assigned by the sawmill, by means of a visual inspection of all the pieces.
For example, when the wood is intended for construction, what matters is strength, not its appearance.
On the other hand, when the timber is to be exported both the strength and the aesthetics of each piece are taken into account, so you may notice that the timber to be exported has a higher quality than the timber used in construction. In any case, the seller should make it clear to you what kind of range you are getting with your purchase.
Now let’s see what the applications of this wood are.
- Construction of wooden flooring.
- Construction of pedestrian walkways and floor slabs.
- Construction of joints with connectors.
- Elaboration of interior furniture.
- Interior carpentry (doors, windows, paneling, stairs, friezes).
- Manufacture of decorative veneers.
- Shipbuilding (masts).
- Manufacture of pulp and kraft paper.
Age of felling or cutting
35 to 40 years on the plantation.
Color
Wood color Creamy beige.
Sapwood
Yellowish white.
Heartwood
Reddish brown.
Characteristic defects
This wood is prone to knots and resin pockets.
Density
Apparent density at 12% humidity, 510 kg/m3. It is a semi-light wood.
Fiber
Straight.
Grain
Intermediate.
Hardness
With a score of 2 on the Monin test, this is a softwood.
Durability
This wood is susceptible to fungal and insect infestation. However, the cellular structure of Yellow Pine allows the agents used during treatment to penetrate the fibers thoroughly, preventing fungi and other pests such as termites from eating the wood.
Dimensional Stability
Coefficient of volumetric shrinkage
0.41 % is not very nervous wood.
Impregnability
Sapwood is medium to slightly impregnable; heartwood is not impregnable.
Mechanical properties
Compressive strength
492 kg/cm2
Static bending strength
975 kg/cm2
Modulus of elasticity
130.000 kg/cm2
Workability
Sawing
No problems overall, unless the tree exudes a lot of resin, impeding the proper functioning of the saws when cutting the trunk.
Drying
Easy and fast, although there may be cracking and some deformation.
Planing
Too much resin makes the process more difficult.
Gluing
Too much resin makes the process more difficult.
Nailing and screwing
Drilling first
Finishing
It depends on the proportion of resin present. For this and all the other steps, the wood should be steamed to reduce the resin levels.
2. Insignis Pine or Monterey Pine or California Pine (Pinus radiata) wood
Characteristics of the Pinus Radiata
| Location | Native to the state of California in the United States, it extends throughout the southwestern part of the country until northwestern Mexico. But it has been cultivated around the world, in countries as diverse as: New Zealand Australia South Africa Chile Spain United Kingdom others. |
| Height | It is very rare that a specimen exceeds 25 meters in cultivated plantations, but some specimens have been seen up to 50 meters high in natural forests. |
| Trunk diameter | Approximately 60 centimeters. |
| Flowers | The male cones are abundant and compact; they have a yellowish-brown coloration. The female floriferous cones are violet. |
| Leaves | Evergreen, the leaves are aculeate, i.e., branched, arranged in groups of three. They are flimsy and pointed.It has a length of 7 to 15 centimeters long. |
| Branches | Its branches are upward and are only present in the upper third of the tree. |
| Habitat | This species needs temperate and humid climates. It doesn’t tolerate extreme climates or frosts. It thrives in acid soils, from sea level to 800 meters above sea level. It is found almost all over the world due to reforestation. |
| Service life | Between 80 and 90 years old. |
| Conservation status (IUCN) | According to the IUCN, it is an endangered species, especially in its native region. In the areas where it has been repopulated, efforts are being made to prevent pests: if this were the case, it could lead to global extinction. |
Known by various names, Pinus radiata is a conifer belonging to the Pinaceae botanical family.
Unfortunately, in its natural habitat, i.e. it is on the verge of extinction in Mexico and the United States, due to the massive attack of a fungus known as pitch canker (Fusarium circinatum). This fungus causes a disease that exposes it to being attacked by insects such as beetles which, attracted by the rotting bark, begin to eat it and, once they move on to another tree, serve as a means of transmitting the fungus.
This is a serious problem as, in some areas of the forest, more than 80% of the specimens have been found to be infected with the fungus, rendering them unusable.
In addition, the tree has been used to repopulate forests in countries such as Chile, New Zealand, Australia, and South Africa. However, another species of fungus is known to have caused great damage to plantations in New Zealand.
Another pest that affects pine trees as a whole, and particularly the Monterey pine, is the pine processionary butterfly (Thaumetopoea pityocampa Schiff) that, when in the caterpillar stage, eats the leaves and forms a nest in the branches to protect itself from the cold.
In summer, once it has metamorphosed, the caterpillar reproduces and lays eggs that will produce more caterpillars, thus completing its life cycle and the degradation of the tree.
However, because of its rapid growth and adaptability, this tree is widely cultivated as a plantation timber in many parts of the world. In fact, it is the role model for growers in many plantations as it is the most widely planted pine tree on the planet.
Characteristics of the wood of Pinus Radiata
Although its main use is wood production, poor quality wood is used to make pulp while good one is mainly used for construction.
Generalities and applications
In general, Pinus radiata is used for:
- Construction (manufacture of weatherboards, posts, beams, fences, retaining walls, and concrete).
- Manufacture of frames, fences, and friezes.
- Manufacture of interior furniture.
- Interior carpentry.
- Manufacture of laminated wood.
- Hollow carpentry and interior cladding.
- Containers and packaging.
Age of felling or cutting
Not earlier than 30 years of age, when it reaches maturity.
Color
Sapwood
Off-white
Heartwood
Brown to brown.
Characteristic defects
Abundant knots.
Density
Apparent density at 12% humidity 500 kg/m3. It is a semi-light wood.
Fiber
Straight.
Grain
Medium grain.
Hardness
The Monin test score is between 1.8 and 2.1, which makes it a softwood.
Durability
Very sensitive to fungal and insect infestation, although it is moderately resistant to moisture.
Dimensional Stability
Coefficient of volumetric shrinkage
0.44% moderately nervous wood.
Impregnability
The sapwood is impregnable but the heartwood is not very impregnable.
Mechanical properties
Compressive strength
434 kg/cm2
Static flexural strength
874 kg/cm2
Modulus of elasticity
90.000 kg/cm2
Workability
Sawing
No problems.
Drying
There is a minimal risk of cracking and warping, but in most cases, there is no problem.
Planing
No problems.
Gluing
No problems.
Nailing and screwing
Prior use of a drill is necessary.
Finishing
No problems.
3. Austrian or Black Pine wood (Pinus nigra)
Characteristics of the Pinus nigra tree
| Location | Native to almost all of central, southern, and eastern Europe, even as far as North Africa. It is very abundant in Spain. It is also distributed in France. |
| Height | Under normal conditions, its height can exceed 50 meters, but a specimen reaching an average of 35 or 40 meters is already a good thing. Unfortunately, if the tree has been attacked by pests, its average height is reduced to 15 to 20 meters at best. |
| Trunk diameter | 40 to 50 centimeters on average. |
| Flowers | Absent. |
| Leaves | Dark green in color and aculeate shaped. The leaves of Pinus nigra are evergreen and approximately 6 to 16 centimeters long. They are flexible and not prickly. |
| Branches | The branches are thin, arranged horizontally to the trunk and have a reddish color. |
| Habitat | It can grow on limestone soils with little water reserves, i.e. they are almost dry. This species resists well to cold, so it withstands frosts and heavy snowfalls. In addition, it withstands environmentally polluted environments. Cultivation should preferably be done at altitudes between 500 and 2000 meters above sea level, to improve wood production. |
| Service life | It is a tree that can be very long-lived, there is a specimen with more than 1000 years. But on a plantation, it usually lives about 50 years. |
| Conservation status (IUCN) | According to the IUCN, it is a species of least concern. |
The Austrian pine species belongs to the Pinaceae family of trees. Therefore, it is a coniferous species with softwood. Its scientific name, Pinus nigra, is given by the dark green color of its needles (kind of leaves). It is moderately fast-growing.
Among all pine species, this one is the most susceptible to attacks by the pine processionary moth (Thaumetopoea pityocampa Schiff). This causes the wood of the trunk to weaken, impacting the growth of the tree. For this reason, you’ll see smaller trees in relation to other pine species.
Characteristics of Pinus nigra wood
As for its wood, we can say that, like the other pines, it is very resinous and, even though this can make it difficult to work with, it is also used as a raw material to manufacture products such as glues and adhesives and to obtain turpentine, which is a solvent for paints.
Generalities and applications
The wood of Pinus nigra is very elastic and resistant to mechanical forces.
It is therefore used for:
- Shipbuilding (manufacture of masts for sailing boats).
- Manufacture of interior furniture with a rustic appearance.
- Carpentry of interior and exterior openings and cladding.
- Manufacture of doors, windows, floorboards, and friezes.
- Auxiliary construction (props, formwork).
Age of felling or cutting
Ideally, it must not be felled before 25 years of age, so that the tree can reach maturity.
Color
Sapwood
White-yellowish.
Heartwood
Pale red.
Characteristic defects
Knots, resin pockets.
Density
Apparent density at 12% humidity 570 kg/m3. Semi-light wood.
Fiber
Straight.
Grain
Intermediate.
Hardness
Semi-soft wood with 2.4 in the Monnin test.
Durability
Not durable against fungi and insects.
Impregnability
Sapwood is impregnable; heartwood is not impregnable.
Mechanical properties
Compressive strength
456 kg/cm2
Static bending strength
1169 kg/cm2
Modulus of elasticity
96,500 kg/cm2
Workability
Sawing
No problems.
Drying
Risk of resin exudation.
Planing
It is easy, however, the presence of resin can make the process a little difficult.
Gluing
No problems.
Nailing and screwing
Requires pre-drilling.
Finishing
No problems.
4. Wood of Maritime Pine, or Galician Pine (Pinus pinaster)
Characteristics of the Pinus pinaster tree
| Location | This species is native to the Mediterranean coasts of Europe and Africa so it is abundant in Spain, Portugal, France, Italy, Morocco, Algeria, and Malta. |
| Height | It is usual to find trees between 20 and 30 meters, although specimens can sometimes reach up to 40 meters. |
| Trunk diameter | On average from 1.2 to 1.5 meters. In some rare cases, 1.8 meters. |
| Flowers | Not present. |
| Leaves | Aciculae and thick, yellowish-green, arranged in pairs, with a length between 10 to 25 centimeters long. |
| Branches | Thin, with vertical direction in relation to the trunk. |
| Habitat | This species is found in areas at sea level, most of the time. However, trees have been seen even at 2000 meters above sea level. It needs acid soils, although it tolerates alkaline soils well and is very resistant to extreme temperatures, withstanding drought and frost alike. |
| Service life | Between 150 to 300 years. |
| Conservation status (IUCN) | IUCN Least Concern (Not threatened). |
The Pinus pinaster is part of the Pinaceae and is a conifer also known by the name of Black Pine, but be careful not to confuse it with the Pinus nigra. It is also known as maritime as in ancient times its wood was used to build the masts of ships.
Bear in mind that this tree colonizes new territories where it grows, i.e. it can displace other native species as it grows and therefore competes for resources such as water and nutrients. For this reason, it is included in the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) list of the 100 most harmful invasive alien species in the world.
Moreover, due to its high content of resin, the tree is used to produce glue, turpentine and varnish. Its resin is even used to soften the fiber of the bows of stringed instruments such as violins.
So as you can see, it is a tree with great commercial value and for this reason, it has been repopulated in many countries where it did not exist or had few specimens.
Characteristics of Pinus pinaster wood
It is economically important for the use of its wood, although it is not of high quality.
Generalities and applications
Although for many years it was used for its wood in shipbuilding, it has now fallen into disuse because, to tell the truth, its wood is not the best in terms of mechanical resistance among the pine species. However, due to its abundance and availability, it is widely used because it is cheaper than other woods of better quality, but which are less available.
Therefore, this wood is mainly used in:
- Interior furniture manufacture.
- Carpentry for interior cladding.
- Manufacture of doors, decking, and fences.
- Manufacture of plywood.
- Manufacture of containers and packaging.
- Auxiliary construction.
Age at felling or cutting
Approximately 20 to 25 years.
Color
Sapwood
Sapwood with light yellowish tones.
Heartwood
Between yellow and orange.
Characteristic defects
The wood usually has many knots, as well as resin pockets.
Density
530 kg/m3 at 12% moisture content. It is light to medium-heavy wood.
Fiber
Straight.
Grain
Intermediate to coarse.
Hardness
With a Monnin test score of 2.45, this is a softwood.
Durability
It is very susceptible to insect and fungal infestation. It is best to treat with pesticides.
Dimensional Stability
Coefficient of volumetric shrinkage.
Impregnability
Sapwood is impregnable; heartwood with low impregnability.
Mechanical properties
Compressive strength
400 kg/cm2
Static flexural strength
795 kg/cm2
Modulus of elasticity
74.000 kg/cm2
Workability
Sawing
Poorly cut if the excess resin is present.
Drying
Risk of resin exudation.
Planing
Slightly difficult if there is resin present.
Gluing
If the resin is present, it can complicate the process.
Nailing and screwing
It is best to use pre-drilling.
Finishing
The wood should be dried and thoroughly cleaned to remove any traces of resin.
5. Scots pine, Scotch pine (Pinus sylvestris)
The Pinus sylvestris is a species belonging to the Pinaceae family, in the genus Pinus. Therefore, a conifer. It is also called Red Pine because of its red bark.
Then, you should know that, although the Pinus Radiata is the most planted pine tree in the world, the Pinus sylvestris is the one that spreads over more territories on the planet, as its natural habitat is very large. It has also been used for the repopulation of forests, which increases the surface area it occupies.
Characteristics of the Pinus sylvestris tree
| Location | This species is found throughout Eurasia, covering the northern and central areas of both continents; places with temperate to cold climates. It can be found natively in countries such as: Spain, United Kingdom France Russia Finland Scandinavia, among others. Thanks to reforestation, however, it is easy to find in New Zealand. However, it is considered an invasive species in some parts of Canada and the United States, as it has displaced native species. |
| Height | 30 to 40 meters on average. |
| Trunk diameter | 60 centimeters on average. |
| Flowers | Not present. |
| Leaves | The leaves have a bluish tone. They are arranged in clusters of two, and have an aculeate shape (typical arrangement of pine leaves), from 2 to 6 cm long. |
| Branches | The branches are thick, salmon red. They are vertical to the trunk. |
| Habitat | Pino Sylvestris grows very well in humid areas with low temperatures, especially in mountainous environments and where there is good rainfall. Likewise, as long as it is at altitudes between 1000 and 2000 meters above sea level, the condition of the soil is not so important for it to thrive. Also, keep in mind that specimens that are further north on the planet are usually found above sea level. |
| Service life | 150 to 300 years. In some regions of Finland, specimens over 700 years old have been documented. |
| Conservation status (IUCN) | IUCN Least Concern (Not Threatened). |
Characteristics of Pinus sylvestris wood
Scots pine is very popular in countries such as Spain, especially for construction work.
Generalities and applications
Although the wood of Pinus sylvestris is mainly used in the building industry, it is also used in alternative medicine for the essential oils extracted from it, which have antiseptic properties. In addition, the resin can be used to make soaps, flavorings, and even detergents.
As for its wood, we can tell you that, like all pine wood, it is very versatile, resistant to mechanical forces and, due to the abundance of the tree, it is cheaper than other woods.
Therefore, the wood of Pinus sylvestris is used in:
- Structural construction (production of beams, railway sleepers and pallets).
- Shipbuilding (manufacture of masts).
- Furniture manufacture.
- Musical instrument manufacture.
- Paper pulp production (using resin).
Age of felling or cutting
Between 70 and 80 years old.
Color
Sapwood
Pale yellow.
Heartwood
Reddish to brown.
Characteristic defects
Knots and often resin pockets.
Density
510 kg/m3 at 12% humidity. It is a wood on the borderline between light and medium-heavy wood.
Fiber
Straight
Grain
Intermediate to fine
Hardness
A score of 1.9 on the Monnin test, making it a softwood.
Durability
Susceptible to insect infestation but resistant to fungal attack.
Dimensional Stability
Volumetric shrinkage coefficient.
Impregnability
Sapwood is impregnable; heartwood is slightly.
Mechanical Properties
Compressive strength
406 kg/cm2
Static flexural strength
1057 kg/cm2
Modulus of elasticity
94.000 kg/cm2
Workability
Sawing
No problems.
Drying
No problems.
Planing
No problems.
Gluing
No problems.
Nailing and screwing
No problems.
Finishing
No problems.
6. Oregon Pine or Douglas Fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii) timber
Characteristics of the tree Pseudotsuga menziesii
| Location | It can be found in Canadian British Columbia and the west coast of the United States, but it can also be found in temperate zones. |
| Height | Between 60 and 75 meters high on average. |
| Trunk diameter | From 100 centimeters to 2 meters approximately. |
| Flowers | They are green with a spiral disposition. |
| Leaves | Thin and fine. |
| Branches | They grow along the west coast and center of North America, more common at sea level. It needs to be exposed to the sun but resists temperatures above 18 to 20 Celsius, which is why it does not usually last long in tropical climates. It reproduces by seed collecting and planting cuttings. |
| Habitat | Specimens up to a thousand years old have been found. |
| Service life | It is not threatened by excessive logging as there are commercial production lines. Remember that this species serves as a Christmas tree. However, climate change is now threatening the Mediterranean variant. |
It is not really spruce; although a very similar species to it. Douglas firs are also grown as ornamental plants and are common Christmas trees in North America.
Characteristics of the wood of Pseudotsuga menziesii
General and applications
It is a soft, fast-drying wood.
Note that it is considered to be the most important timber for construction.
It is a large tree from which large pieces can be extracted and, if you add to that the fact that it is very strong and rarely rots, you’ll understand why it is very much sought after as a structural component in construction.
This explains its use in the construction of:
- Piers.
- Wharves.
- Buildings.
- General carpentry.
- Boat building.
- Aircraft construction.
Age of felling or cutting
On average 70 years to obtain good quality timber.
Color
Sapwood
Whitish white and heartwood pinkish yellowish.
Heartwood
Pinkish yellow.
Characteristic defects
Knots in the fibers are frequent.
Density
540 kg/m3 at 12% moisture content, which makes it semi-heavy.
Fiber
Resinous, and straight, although it may also be wavy.
Grain
Medium coarse.
Hardness
Semi-hard with a Monnin score of 3.2.
Durability
Medium, especially against fungi. Susceptible to insect attack.
Dimensional Stability
Coefficient of volumetric shrinkage
0,46% medium nervous wood.
Impregnability
Heartwood is not impregnable, sapwood is medium to slightly impregnable.
Mechanical properties
Compressive strength
525 kg/cm2
Static flexural strength
860 kg/cm2
Modulus of elasticity
128.000 kg/cm2
Workability
Sawing
No problems.
Drying
A resin exudation may occur in some cases.
Planing
Resin deposits may appear.
Gluing
No problems.
Nailing and screwing
No problems.
Finishing
It is recommended to treat the wood with varnish for the best results.
These were the 6 most used pine kinds of wood and probably the most used in the world. As you may have noticed, pine wood (regardless of its species) is the hallmark of carpentry and construction.
This wood is a must in any job as it is very versatile and relatively inexpensive. That’s why you should choose it; it simply won’t let you down in any job you want.