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Blunting Effect
Boring
Carving
Certified Source
Comments
Common Names
Common Uses
Countries of Distribution
Cutting Resistance
Distribution Overview
Drying Defects
Ease of Drying
Environmental Profile
Family Name
Gluing
Grain
Heartwood Color
Kiln Drying Rate
Kiln Schedules
Mortising
Moulding
Movement in Service
Nailing
Natural Durability
Natural Growth Defects
Numerical Data
Odor
Painting
Planing
Polishing
References
Regions of Distribution
Resin Content
Resistance to Impregnation
Resistance to Splitting
Response to Hand Tools
Routing & Recessing
Sanding
Sapwood Color
Scientific Name
Screwing
Staining
Steam Bending
Strength Properties
Texture
Trade Name
Tree Identification
Tree Size
Turning
Varnishing
Veneering Qualities
Weathering

Scientific Name
Pinus palustris

Trade Name
Longleaf pine

Family Name
Pinaceae

Wood Image 1

Wood Image 1

Wood Image 1

Common Names
American pitch pine, Cedar pine, Florida longleaf pine, Florida yellow pine, Georgia pine, Georgia yellow pine, Hard pine, Heart pine, Long leaf pitch pine, Longleaf pine, Longleaf pitch pine, Longstraw pine, Palustris pine, Palustris-den, Pine, Pitch pine, Southern yellow pine, Spruce pine, Straw pine, Texas yellow pine, Walter pine, Yellow pine

Regions of Distribution
North America

Countries of Distribution  [VIEW MAP]
United States

Common Uses
Agricultural implements, Barge fenders, Beams, Boards, Boat building (general), Boat building: decking, Boat building: masts, Boat building: planking, Boxes and crates, Bridge construction, Building materials, Cabinetmaking, Chemical derivatives, Crossties, Decks, Decorative veneer, Docks, Dockwork, Domestic flooring, Dressed boards, Factory construction, Fiberboard, Figured veneer, Flooring, Furniture, Harbor work, Hardboards, Heavy construction, Interior construction, Joinery, Joists, Light construction, Lock gates, Lumber, Marine construction, Millwork, Mine timbers, Moldings, Musical instruments, Naval architecture, Paneling , Parquet flooring, Particleboard, Piling, Planks, Plywood corestock, Plywood, Poles, Porch columns, Pulp/Paper products, Pulpwood, Raft floats, Rafts, Railroad ties, Rough boards/dimension stock, Rough construction, Sporting Goods, Structural plywood, Structural work, Studs, Sub-flooring, Toys, Turnery, Vats, Vehicle parts, Veneer, Wharf construction

Environmental Profile
Widespread, abundant and globally secure
Some long-term concern for the species
May be rare in parts of its range, especially at the periphery
Data source is Nature Conservancy


Distribution Overview
The species is found in well-drained sandy soils of flatlands and sandhills, and often grows in pure stands. Its range is mainly confined to the sandy and gravelly deposits of the Coastal Plains, from southeastern Virginia to eastern Florida, and west to eastern Texas. Longleaf pine essentiallys grow at sea level, usually below 600 feet (183 m), but is also found at elevations of up to 2000 feet (615 m) in the foothilhs of Piedmont.

Heartwood Color
Brown
Red
White
Yellow
Orange
Pink
Purple
Yellow to golden-yellow to orange
Reddish brown
Pale brown
White to cream
Pale red to pink
Brown
Yellow, but may contain blue-black sap stain
Red
Light yellow, orange, and red


Slow-Growth Longleaf pine usually recovered from structural timbers in pre-1900 warehouses and factories, or as sunken logs from river bottoms have a yellow heratwood after cutting, but the color turns to a deep pinkish tan to warm reddish brown within weeks because of high resin content
The tree is believed to develop heartwood late in its life (18 years).

Sapwood Color
White
Yellow
Brown
Red
White to yellow
Paler than heartwood
Whitish to yellowish, orange-white, or pale yellow
Well defined
Variable width


Grain
Figure
Growth rings (figure)
Straight
Distinct (figure)
Even

Clear growth rings (figure)
Straight
Distinct figure
Straight and uneven

Contrast between transition from earlywood to latewood is described as striking in its abruptness.

Texture
Fine
Medium
Even or uniform
Uniform
Coarse
Fine
Medium
Medium coarse to coarse
Coarse


Natural Growth Defects
Gum/resin exudation
Latex or other ducts
Gum/resin streaks


Natural Durability
Non-durable
Durable
Moderately durable
Perishable
Susceptible to insect attack
Non-resistant to termites
Resistant to powder post beetles
Moderately durable
Very durable
Susceptible to attack from termites (Isoptera)
Resistant to attack from marine borers
Durable
Resistant to wood staining fungal attack
Resistant to attack from powder post (Lyctid & Bostrychid) beetles
Non durable
Moderate resistance
Heartwood is fairly resistant to termites and other insects
Easily treated with chemical preservatives allowing it to be used in exterior applications


Weathering
Good


Odor
Has an odor
Very fine
Distinct (figure)
Non-Descriptive resinous odor
No specific taste
Figure occurrence is very fine and distinct


Resin Content
Sapwood contains 2% resin
Heartwood contains 7% to 10% resin
Heartwood butt logs and stumps contain 15% to 25% resin

Longleaf pine is also the primary source of naval stores, such as turpentine and resin

Kiln Schedules
Dry at a moderate speed
UK=L US=T146C6S/T12C5S
UK=F US=T6D4/T3D3 Fr=6
Regular T13-C6(4/4); T12-C5 (8/4) Schedule L (4/4) United Kingdom
Dry at a slow speed
Different kiln schedules recommended for highest quality stock


Drying Defects
Resin Exudation
Ring Shakes
Discoloration
Distortion
Slight surface checking
Moderate surface checking
Moderate end spitting
Slight end splitting
Severe surface checking
Severe end splitting
No twisting or warping
No cupping, generally
Excessive drying temperatures may cause checks, splits and brown sapwood stains


Ease of Drying
Fairly Easy
Rapidly
Gum Exudation
Slowly
Reconditioning Treatement
Easy
Moderate


Kiln Drying Rate
Naturally dries quickly
Naturally dries at a moderate speed


Tree Identification
Bole/stem form is straight


Tree Size
Tree height is 30-40 m
Tree height is 40-50 m
Tree height is 20-30 m
Trunk diameter is 100-150 cm
Tree height is 60-70 m
Tree height is 50-60 m
Tree height is greater than 70 m
Bark width is 30-40 mm
Bark width is 40-50 mm
Bark width is 25-30 mm
Tree height is 10-20 m


Certified Source
Certified Source


Comments
General finishing qualities are rated as good

General finishing qualities are rated as satisfactory

Blunting Effect
Little
Moderate blunting effect on cutting edges


Boring
Fairly easy to very easy
Fair to good results


Carving
Fair to Good Results
Fairly Easy to Very Easy


Cutting Resistance
Easy to saw
Cutting Resistance with green wood is easy
Cutting Resistance with dry wood is easy
Moderate cutting resistance
Long pitch saws recommended


Gluing
Fairly Easy to Very Easy
Fair to Good Results
Easy to glue
Moderate gluing properties
Easy to glue


Mortising
Fairly Easy to Very Easy
Fair to Good Results
Very Good to Excellent Results


Moulding
Fairly Easy to Very Easy
Fair to Good Results
Very Good to Excellent Results


Movement in Service
Excellent Stability - Small Movement
Fair to Good Stability - Medium Movement
Stable
Medium


Nailing
Fairly Easy to Very Easy
Fair to Good Results
Very Good to Excellent Results
Very good nail-holding properties
Holds nails well
Easy to nail


Planing
Fairly Easy to Very Easy
Fair to Good Results
Very Good to Excellent Results
Responds fairly well to ordinary machine tools, with moderate cutting resistance
It planes, turns, moulds, bores, and mortises fairly well to yield generally clean finishes
High resin content may be troublesome since cutters tend to gum up


Resistance to Impregnation
Permeable sapwood
Resistant heartwood
Permeable heartwood
Resistant sapwood
Heartwood is resistant
Sapwood is permeable
Incising before treatment is unnecessary
Heartwood is moderately resistant
Cellular structure allwos deep, uniform penetration


Resistance to Splitting
Satisfactory
Poor


Response to Hand Tools
Easy to Work
Responds Readily
Moderate working qualities
Easy to machine
Responds fairly wel to hand tools, with moderate cutting resistance


Routing & Recessing
Fairly Easy to Very Easy
Fair to Good Results
Very Good to Excellent Results


Sanding
Fairly Easy to Very Easy
Fair to Good Results
Very Good to Excellent Results
Good sanding properties


Screwing
Fairly Easy to Very Easy
Fair to Good Results
Very Good to Excellent Results
Very good screw holding qualities
Screwing yields good results
Easy to screw


Turning