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Blunting Effect
Boring
Carving
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 Schedules
Light-Induced Color Change
Luster
Mortising
Moulding
Movement in Service
Nailing
Natural Durability
Natural Growth Defects
Numerical Data
Odor
Painting
Planing
Polishing
References
Regions of Distribution
Resistance to Impregnation
Resistance to Splitting
Response to Hand Tools
Routing & Recessing
Sanding
Sapwood Color
Scientific Name
Screwing
Staining
Steam Bending
Strength Properties
Texture
Toxicity
Trade Name
Tree Identification
Tree Size
Turning
Varnishing
Veneering Qualities

Scientific Name
Pinus strobus

Trade Name
Eastern white pine

Family Name
Pinaceae

Wood Image 1

Wood Image 1

Common Names
American yellow pine, Austrian white pine, Canadain white pine, Canadian yellow pine, Cork pine, Eastern white pine, Northern white pine, Ottawa pine, Ottawa white pine, Pattern pine, Pumpkin pine, Quebec pine, Quebec yellow pine, Sapling pine, Soft pine, Weymouth pine, Yellow pine

Regions of Distribution
Central America, North America

Countries of Distribution  [VIEW MAP]
Canada, Mexico, United States

Common Uses
Agricultural implements, Balusters, Beams, Bedroom suites, Boat building (general), Boat building, Boat building: decking, Boat building: masts, Boxes and crates, Building construction, Building materials, Cabin construction, Cabinetmaking, Canoes, Carvings, Caskets, Casks, Chairs, Chests, Coffins, Concealed parts (Furniture), Concrete formwork, Construction, Decks, Decorative veneer, Desks, Dining-room furniture, Dowell pins, Dowells, Drawer sides, Drawing boards, Drum sticks, Excelsior, Exterior trim & siding, Exterior uses, Flooring, Food containers, Furniture , Furniture, General carpentry, Interior trim, Joinery, Ladders, Light construction, Matches, Millwork, Moldings, Musical instruments , Musical instruments, Musical instruments: piano, Novelties, Paneling , Paneling, Sculpture, Shade rollers, Shipbuilding, Sporting Goods, Toys, Woodenware

Environmental Profile
Widespread, abundant and globally secure
May be rare in parts of its range, especially at the periphery
Data source is Nature Conservancy


Distribution Overview
Eastern white pine (also called Weymouth pine in England where it is widely planted) occurs extensively in North America. Its growth range extends from Newfoundland and Quebec west to central Ontario and southeastern Manitoba, south to Minnesota, northeasrn Iowa, northern Illinois, northwestern Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey, and south in the mountains to western North Carolina, northern Georgia, and Tennessee. It is also reported to occur locally in western Kentuck and western Tennessee. The tree prefers well-drained sandy soils, and is sometimes found in pure stands from near sea level to an altitude of about 2000 feet (615 m), and up to 5000 feet (1525 m) in the southern Appalachians.

Heartwood Color
Brown
Red
Black
Purple
Reddish brown
Pale brown
White to cream
Yellow to golden-yellow to orange
Pale red to pink
Red
Resin ducts at times appear as thin brown lines
Darkens upon exposure
Cream colored to light brown or reddish brown, or pale yellow to pale brown
Brown

Differences between Eastern white and Western white pine are so slight that the two species cannot be distinguished without laboratory tests

Sapwood Color
White
Yellow
White to yellow
Paler than heartwood
Same as heartwood
Nearly white to pale yelllowish white
Narrow to medium in width


Grain
Straight
Figure
Growth rings (figure)
Even
Mottled (figure)
Weak (figure)

Straight
Clear growth rings (figure)
Weak figure
Straight and even
Mottled figure


Texture
Fine
Fine
Medium
Medium coarse to coarse
Fine to medium
Even textured


Luster
Medium
High


Natural Growth Defects
Latex or other ducts


Natural Durability
Resistant to termites
Durable
Very durable
Resistant to marine borers
Susceptible to insect attack
Resistant to powder post beetles
Non durable
Resistant to attack from pinworms (ambrosia beetles)
Susceptible to attack from termites (Isoptera)
Should be chemically treated before using in high decay hazard conditions
Sapwood is susceptible to wood staining fungal attack
Resistant to attack from powder post (Lyctid & Bostrychid) beetles
Moderately resistant
Moderately durable
Moderate resistance to attack by decay organisms

Prolonged exposure to exterior atmospheric conditions is reported to weather the wood to a light gray color, with a moderate sheen.

Odor
Non-Descriptive resinous odor
No specific taste
Figure occurrence is very fine and distinct

Scent and resin canals are two features that can be used, with a reasonable degree of certainty, to differentiate between Eastern white pine and Sugar pine: the latter pine is reported to often have a sweeter scent and much larger resin canals

Light-Induced Color Change
Darker


Toxicity
Some toxic effects


Kiln Schedules
Drying (speed) is fast
Dry at a moderate speed
UK=L US=T146C6S/T12C5S
Standard T11-C5(4/4);T10-C4(8/4) Schedule L (4/4) United Kingdom
Different drying schedule recommended to prevent brown stains


Drying Defects
Internal Honeycombing Possible
Collapse
Slight twist/warp
Sap stain is common
Prpoer stacking to allow adequate air-flow thru pile is essential during air-seasoning
No twisting or warping
Expect resin/gum exudation
Brown stains and ring failure during drying


Ease of Drying
Variable
Easy
Air dries slowly with low shrinkage
Air dries easily and uniformly


Tree Identification
Bole/stem form is unknown


Tree Size
Tree height is 20-30 m
Bole length is 10-20 m
Sapwood width is 10-15 cm
Tree height is 10-20 m
Tree height is 30-40 m


Comments
Abnormal wood tissue in the form of compression wood may be present

General finishing qualities are rated as good

Yields ingredient used in cough syrups for treatments of bronchial ailments

Blunting Effect
Blunting effect on machining is slight
Slight dulling effect on cutting tools


Boring
Easy
Responds well to boring
Clean bored surfaces


Carving
Responds well to carving operations


Cutting Resistance
Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult to saw
Easy to cut in any direction


Gluing
Easy to glue
Good gluing properties


Mortising
Finishes well
Easy to mortise
Generally mortises well


Moulding
Good finishing results
Easy to mould
Good moulding properties


Movement in Service
Stable
Small
Retains shape very well after manufacture
Dimensionally stable


Nailing
Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult
Pre-Boring Recommended
Holds nails well
Easy to nail
Satisfactory resistance to decay above ground
Good nailing characteristics
Good nail holding properties


Planing
Planes well, to a good finish
Easy to plane
Soft, very uniform in texture and is very easy to work
Planes easily and worked surfaces are clean and smooth


Resistance to Impregnation
Heartwood is moderately resistant
Sapwood is permeable
Permeable
Fairly good response to preservative treatment


Resistance to Splitting
Satisfactory
Good
Excellent


Response to Hand Tools
Fairly Difficult to Difficult to Work
Easy to Work
Easy to machine
Yields clean surfaces
Responds well to hand tools


Routing & Recessing
Routing yields good results
Routing is easy
Generally good routing qualities


Sanding
Good sanding properties
Good sanding finish
Easy to sand


Screwing
Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult
Screwing yields good results
Easy to screw
Accept all types of fasteners, and will take fine gauge screws without pilot holes


Turning
Fairly Easy to Very Easy
Fair to Good Results
Very Good to Excellent Results
Good results
Easy to turn
Too weak for durable spindles
Does not turn as well as some harder woods

Like Sugar pine but to a lesser degree, Eastern white pine is reported to leave a very pleasing resinous aroma in the workshop.

Veneering Qualities
Suitable for slicing
Veneers easily
Veneers moderately easy
Suitable for peeling
There is slight to moderate drying degrade and the potential for buckles and splits
Moderately easy to veneer


Steam Bending
Poor to Very Poor Results
Unsuitable
Very poor steam bending characteristics


Painting
Good results
Good painting characteristics


Polishing
Fair to Good Results
Very Good to Excellent Results
Good results
Polishes and finishes very well


Staining
Finish is generally good
Stains easily
Retains soft and mellow figure even under dark stains


Varnishing
Good results
Good varnishing properties
Fewer coats of varnish are needed since uneven swelling of grain is less common


Strength Properties
Density (dry weight) = 23-30 lbs/cu. ft.
Shearing strength (parallel to grain) = very low
Max. crushing strength = low
Hardness (side grain) = very soft
Modulus of Elasticity (stiffness) = very low
Toughness-Hammer drop (Impact Strength) = very low
Max. crushing strength (stiffness) = very low
Shrinkage, Radial = very small
Toughness (total work) = very low
Shrinkage, Tangential = small
Density (dry weight) = 15-22 lbs/cu. ft.
Bending strength (MOR) = very low
Work to Maximum Load
Toughness-Hammer drop (Impact Strength) = low
Soft
Modulus of Elasticity (stiffness) = low
Moderate weight