Common Trade Name: Eastern White Pine, North American White Pine, Northern White Pine, Soft Pine, White Pine
Scientific Name: Pinus strobus
Color Range: light-brown heartwood with a reddish hue and yellow to almost white sapwood
Availability: Widely available
Janka Scale Hardness: 380 lbf (1,690 N)
Average Weight per BF: 25 lbs/Cu. Ft.
Common Uses: indoor furniture, interior carpentry, post and beams, box beams, veneer
What Is Pine?
Pine tree lumber is a commonly used wood for general carpentry and custom millwork. Many species of pine trees are grown for their timbers with different color grades. Among them is the eastern white pine, popular in construction timber and boat-making.
White pine is a softwood, meaning lumber sourced from coniferous trees. It has a good index of strength, durability, resistance, and workability, which makes it a prominent wood choice for many applications.
The straight grain and even texture of white pine give it good contraction and flexion for easy handling. It works well with hand and machine tools and accepts stains and finishes well. It is rated moderate to low in decay resistance but can be used for outdoor furniture when properly finished.
Where Is Pine Sourced From?
Eastern white pine grows all over eastern North America and central and eastern Canada. They proliferate in temperate broadleaf and mixed forests with rocky highlands and humid climates. White pine can reach a height of 100 feet, and its trunk at about 2 to 4 feet in diameter.
Pine tree lumber is highly-desired by loggers and woodworkers because it is lightweight and almost knot-free. Many homes were built with it since it grows abundantly and its timber is easy to cut and trim. Unlike hardwoods, white pine is moderately decayed and crack-resistant. They can still be processed in a lumber mill a year after being felled.
What to Look for When Buying Pine
White pine tree lumber may be available in Select or Common grades. Select pine has few imperfections with minimal knots on its surface. These are best for fine furniture, wood paneling for walls, and other interior works. Choose pine tree wood planks with uniform colors if you want to achieve a classic and contemporary look.
For rustic designs, common pine grades are the best, where the imperfections highlight its textural qualities.
Pros and Cons of Pine
Pine tree lumber and boards are most suited for homebuilding because of their durability and affordability. One of the disadvantages of pine, which applies to many softwood and hardwoods, is that they darken with age. The darker patina may be dramatic for rustic homes but has mixed reactions in other home themes.
Pros
- Lightweight
- Affordable
- Durable
- Glues, stains, and finishes well
- Can resist shrinking and swelling
Cons
- Prone to surface wear and tear
- Bleed-through
Bleeding through on pine wood is common if you don’t choose your paint carefully. These are sudden yellow stains due to the resins that seep from the wood over time. So despite pine taking finishes well, it is helpful to choose darker stains and paints for it. Bleed-throughs are more noticeable on light-colored pine surfaces.
FAQs
Is it okay to leave pine unfinished?
If you are less concerned about its appearance and prefer a weathered look, you can leave it unfinished. However, finished woods often last longer than unfinished ones as finishes keep them protected from elements and infestations.
At what color will white pine age?
The white sapwood of pine will turn yellow, and its heartwood develops an almost orange hue. The color is sometimes problematic in stained pines but does not cause much trouble in clear film finishes.
Where to Buy White Pine Tree Lumber
Specialty lumber yards and wood suppliers may have pine tree lumber stocks of different grades. For white pine and other lumber, check out suppliers like Alderfer Lumber Company Inc. If in case the inventory runs out, we can order them for you from the source.
Alderfer ensures an abundant supply of various kinds of wood so you can have them whenever you need to. We have a range of domestic and specialty lumber stored and preserved accordingly. You may also request cuts and grades that you prefer, and we can have them ready for you.
If you can’t see your lumber choice on our website, please get in touch by calling or sending an email. We can sort through our on-hand inventory and deliver what you need, even if it is not otherwise updated in our system.
