What is pine wood?
The Wood Guide · The wood register
Softwood · referencePine wood
One of the most used words in the timber trade, and one of the least precise. First work out which tree you are dealing with.
- Botanical: Pinus
- In the trade: pine (redwood)
- Softwood, class 4–5
Scots pinePinus sylvestris
Pine wood
One of the most used words in the timber trade, and one of the least precise. First work out which tree you are dealing with.
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Pine wood in brief
Before you read anything about its properties, one thing has to be clear: which tree are we calling pine here?
Botanically, a pine is a Pinus — Scots pine, maritime pine, Weymouth pine. A spruce is a Picea, and a silver fir is a Abies. Three different genera, three different woods.
In the timber trade the names are used differently. There they call the wood of Pinus pine and that of Picea spruce. The word "pine wood" is used loosely for both, and sometimes even for Abies. So don't just ask your supplier for "pine wood": ask for pine (redwood) or spruce (whitewood) — then you know what you are getting.
What all three have in common: they are softwoods from the Pinaceae family, with a straight grain, a moderately coarse texture and light flame figure on flat-sawn timber. Light, cheap, easy to work and in durability class 4 to 5.
Pine (Pinus) is more yellow in colour, richer in resin and has larger, dark knots. Spruce (Picea) is whiter, lower in resin and has smaller knots. If you see clear resin streaks and dark knots, it is pine.
- Botanical pine
- Pinus spp.
- Botanical spruce
- Picea spp.
- Botanical silver fir
- Abies spp. (incl. Abies alba)
- Trade name Pinus
- pine
- Trade name Picea
- spruce
- Durability
- class 4 to 5 — not outdoors untreated
To be honest: the name confusion is not harmless. Order "pine wood" for outdoor work and you may get spruce where pine was intended — and the two take pressure treatment very differently. Always say pine or spruce.
Three genera, three names
| Botanical | Common tree name | Trade name of the wood |
|---|---|---|
| Pinus sylvestris | Scots pine | Pine |
| Picea abies | Norway spruce | Spruce |
| Abies alba | Silver fir | Also sold as spruce (whitewood) |
| Larix decidua | European larch | Larch |
| Pseudotsuga menziesii | Douglas fir | Douglas fir |
All these species have their own page in The Wood Guide. If you are looking for a softwood for a specific purpose, the comparison between pine and spruce is the best starting point.
What softwood has in common
Straight grain
Conifers grow straight up, and you can see that in the wood: a straight, predictable grain direction that makes sawing and planing easy.
Moderately coarse texture
With light flame figure on flat-sawn timber — the characteristic cloudy pattern of a planed board.
Light in weight
400 to 550 kg/m³, depending on species and growth rate. Easy to handle.
Class 4 to 5
Untreated, this wood belongs indoors. Pressure-treated, it lasts ten to fifteen years outdoors.
Our picnic tables and beer table sets are made of pressure-treated spruce: the same kind of softwood, preserved under pressure. That is why they can stay outdoors.
What softwood is used for
Construction
Beams, purlins, roof structures. Predictable, graded by strength class and affordable.
Furniture making
Solid pine furniture, shelving units, tabletops. Soft and therefore prone to dents.
Instrument making
Silver fir and Norway spruce provide the tonewood for guitars and violins — what counts there is the even, narrow growth ring.
Garden timber, pressure-treated
Pressure-treated softwood is the workhorse of the Belgian garden.
Frequently asked questions about pine wood
Is pine wood the same as redwood?
Botanically, yes: redwood is the trade name for the wood of Pinus, and that is the pine. But in practice "pine wood" is also used for spruce (Picea). Ask for pine (redwood) or spruce (whitewood) if you want to be sure.
What is the difference between pine, spruce and silver fir?
Three genera: pine is Pinus, spruce is Picea, silver fir is Abies. The wood of Pinus is sold as pine (redwood), that of Picea as spruce (whitewood). See pine versus spruce.
Can pine wood be used outdoors?
Barely, if untreated — class 4 to 5. Pressure-treated , it lasts ten to fifteen years, which makes it the most widely used garden timber in the Low Countries.
Why is there resin in pine wood?
Conifers produce resin as a defence against insects and damage. Pine is richer in resin than spruce; those resin streaks can bleed through paint over time, so an insulating primer on pine is no luxury.
Pine wood in perspective
The most widely used wood in northern Europe, under the least precise name.
Have a question about your project? Just ask — we're happy to help.
Pinus sylvestris · Picea abies — Torbjörn Axelson, Public domain · Pinus sylvestris — Radomianin, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Photo via Wikimedia Commons: Pinus sylvestris — Dominicus Johannes Bergsma, CC BY-SA 4.0