Everything You Need to Know About Pine Wood

July 2024 · 5 minute read

Pine is a fantastic wood. There, I said it. It has a reputation for being “builder grade,” or somehow subpar, simply because it’s readily available in most parts of the U.S. But pine is a joy to work with in the wood shop.

It works brilliantly with hand tools, machines easily, finishes well and creates an atmosphere in the shop that is pleasant to the eyes, ears and nose. I’ll walk you through everything you need to know about pine so you can use it confidently in your next woodworking project.

What is Pine Wood?

Pine is by definition softwood, which means it comes from a conifer, those needle-leaved trees that produce seed-bearing cones often referred to as “evergreens.”

In general, pine has a creamy, yellow color to the sapwood, and a brown color to the heartwood. It is lightweight with low density, and consequently has been used for “traveling furniture” for centuries. From trunks to camp chairs, if you’ve got a project that needs to be moved regularly you may want to consider pine.

Types of Pine Wood

Pine is not a single species of tree but rather a catch-all word describing a group of conifers. There are many types to pick from. For our woodworking purposes, we’ll focus on the three most widely available in the U.S.: eastern white, southern yellow and ponderosa.

Pros and Cons of Pine Wood

Pros:

Cons:

What Is Pine Wood Used For?

You’ll find pine in variety of applications, including:

Pine Wood Cost and Purchasing

Regional availability affects pricing — southern yellow pine will be more expensive in the northeastern U.S., for instance — but it’s still relatively cheap compared to domestic hardwoods like cherry or walnut. It’s an excellent choice for beginner to intermediate woodworkers looking to improve their skills.

Expect to pay from $2.50 to $7 per board foot, depending on width and whether it’s presurfaced or in the rough. Most domestic hardwoods will cost from $5 to $15 per board foot.

Note: Other conifers are often lumped in the “pine” category that aren’t actually pine. Spruce and Douglas Fir are species used in construction-grade timbers (2x4s) called “whitewood” and are often stamped SPF (Spruce-Pine-Fir). While they’re fine for construction projects like framing, different properties make them undesirable for woodworking.

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