PINE timber GUIDE

Common Name(s): Radiata Pine, Monterey Pine, Insignis Pine

Scientific Name: Pinus radiata

Distribution: Native to central and southern coastal California; also widely planted throughout the southern hemisphere

Tree Size: 80-100 ft (24-30 m) tall, 2-3 ft (.6-1m) trunk diameter

Average Dried Weight: 32 lbs/ft3 (515 kg/m3)

Specific Gravity (Basic, 12% MC): .41, .51

Janka Hardness: 710 lbf (3,150 N)

Modulus of Rupture: 11,480 lbf/in2 (79.2 MPa)

Elastic Modulus: 1,458,000 lbf/in2 (10.06 GPa)

Crushing Strength: 6,030 lbf/in2 (41.6 MPa)

Shrinkage:Radial: 3.4%, Tangential: 6.7%, Volumetric: 10.7%, T/R Ratio: 2.0

Color/Appearance: Heartwood is light brown, wide sapwood is a paler yellowish white, and is distinct from the heartwood. Radiata Pine lumber is plantation-grown, and generally has very wide growth rings and is knot-free.

Grain/Texture: Straight grained with a medium, even texture.

Endgrain: Medium-large resin canals, very numerous and evenly distributed, mostly solitary; earlywood to latewood transition gradual (with very wide growth rings), color contrast moderate to low; tracheid diameter medium-large.

Rot Resistance: The heartwood is rated as non-durable to perishable in regards to decay resistance. The sapwood is readily treated with preservatives and is used in exterior applications.

Workability: Radiata Pine works well with both hand and machine tools. Glues and finishes well.

Odor: Radiata Pine has a faint, resinous odor while being worked.

Allergies/Toxicity: Working with pine has been reported to cause allergic skin reactions and/or asthma-like symptoms in some people. See the articles Wood Allergies and Toxicity and Wood Dust Safety for more information.

Pricing/Availability: Radiata Pine is grown almost exclusively on plantations—most notably in Chile, Australia, and New Zealand. Prices should be moderate for an imported lumber, though most likely more expensive than domestic pines/softwoods.

Sustainability: This wood species is not listed in the CITES Appendices, but is reported by the IUCN as being conservation dependent. Cessation of any current conservation programs would likely result in a vulnerable or endangered Red List status. Although this tree is widely cultivated on plantations, natural stands of Radiata Pine are frequently infected by a fungal disease known as Pine Pitch Canker.

Common Uses: Veneer, plywood, paper (pulpwood), boxes/crates, and construction lumber.

Comments: In the southern hemisphere, where pines are to a large extent absent, Radiata Pine is the most commonly planted and cultivated pine. It is valued on plantations for its fast growth and utility as both a source of construction lumber as well as wood pulp in the paper industry.