Ponderosa pine

[ Wood home ] [ Site home ] [ Next ] [ Back ]

Ponderosa pine

Photo and data from Forest World

Common Names

==================================

Ponderosa pine
Pine
Big pine
Bird's-eye pine
Knotty pine
Lodgepole pine
Oregon pine
Pitch pine
Pole pine
Prickly pine
Western yellow pine
Blackjack pine

Common Uses

==================================

Cabinetmaking
Carvings
Decks
Exterior trim & siding
Furniture
Interior trim
Millwork
Paneling
Partitions
Posts
Screens
Turnery
Bedroom suites
Cabin construction
Chairs
Chests Concealed parts (Furniture)
Desks
Dining-room furniture
Dowell pins
Dowells
Drawer sides
Fine furniture
Floor lamps
Furniture components
Furniture squares or stock
Hatracks
Interior construction
Joists
Kitchen cabinets
Living-room suites
Moldings
Office furniture
Porch columns
Radio, stereo, TV cabinets
Rafters
Rustic furniture
Siding
Stools
Tables
Utility furniture
Wainscotting
Wardrobes
Woodwork

Species Distribution

==================================

REGIONS:

North America

COUNTRIES:

Canada

United States

Physical and Environmental Profile

==================================

Environmental Profile

Ponderosa pine is reported to be rather widespread, abundant, and secure globally,
though it may be rare in parts of its range, especially at the periphery
(Source - The Nature Conservancy - Rank of relative endagerment based primarily
on the number of occurrences of the species globally).

Distribution

The most widely distributed of the pines in North America,
Ponderosa pine is reported to grow from British Columbia to near the Mexican border.
The species is found in Alberta, British Columbia, Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana,
North Dakota, Nebraska, New Mexico, Nevada, Oklahoma, Oregon,
South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming.
It is reported to grow mostly in the mountains, often in pure stands to form extensive forests,
but may also be in mixed coniferous forests.
Ponderosa pine is reported to grow from sea level in the northern parts of its range
to an altitude of up 9000 feet (2745 m) in the south,
with the best stand of trees occuring between 4000 and 8000 feet (1220 and 2440 m).

Product Sources

Some material from this species is reported to be available from environmentally
responsible or sustainably managed sources.

Supplies of Ponderosa pine are reported to be substantial,
with large inventories in both pure and mixed Ponderosa pine forests.
The species is generally considered to be the most commercially important of the western pines.

Tree Data

The tree is reported to be rather large to very large.
It grows to a height of 60 to 130 feet (18 to 39 m)
and a diameter of 30 to 48 inches (80 to 120 cm).

Sapwood Color

The sapwood is whitish to pale yellow and is
reported to be very thick in mature trees.

Heartwood Color

The heartwood is deep yellow to reddish brown,
yellowish to light reddish, or orange brown.

Grain

Grain is reported to be typically straight and even,
and the wood is occasionally figured with a bird's-eye pattern
and dimples on split tangential surfaces.
It is also characterized by fine, dark lines of resin
ducts and numerous knots that are generally sound.

Texture

Texture is described as medium, and slow growth
is reported to produce wood with a uniform texture.

Natural Durability

Ponderosa pine is reported to have very
little natural resistance to attack by
decay fungi and other wood destroying organisms,
and should not be used under high decay
hazard conditions without proper protection.

Abnormal Wood Tissue

The wood often contains compression wood.

Blunting Effect

Blunting effect on cutting edges is reported to be rather small.

Cutting Resistance

The timber is reported to saw well,
but resin exudation may gum up sawteeth.

Varnishing

Ponderosa pine is reported to take a variety of finishes well,
but may require some surface preparation.

Planing

Planing properties are reported to be very good,
but pitch build-up on tools could be a problem.

Turning

The material is reported to turn very well.

Moulding

Moulding qualities are rated as very good.

Boring

Ponderosa pine is reported to respond very well to boring.

Mortising

The wood is reported to have excellent mortising characteristics.

Nailing

The material is reported to have excellent resistance to splitting in nailing.
Nail holding properties are good.

Screwing

Screwing properties are rated as excellent,
and screw-holding qualities are good.

Gluing

Gluing characteristics are rated as very good.

Painting

To prevent bleeding of finishes, especially around knots,
pre-treatment of wood surfaces with a sealer
before painting has been recommended.

Response to Hand Tools

The timber is reported to work easily with hand tools,
with little blunting effect on cutting edges.
The wood is typically knotty but most of the knots are sound.
Resin exudation may interfere with some woodworking operations.

Strength Properties

Bending strength in the air-dried condition
(about 12% moisture content) is medium.
Crushing strength is also medium.
Surfaces may dent or scratch easily since the wood is soft.
Weight is about average.

======================================================================================

Reference Sources

Numerical Data Source

USDA. 1987. Wood Handbook - Wood as an Engineering Material,
Forest Service, Agriculture Handbook No. 72,
Forest Products Laboratory, Madison, Wisconsin.

Descriptive Data Source

Panshin, A.J. and C. deZeeuw. 1980.
Textbook of Wood Technology, 4th Edition. McGraw-Hill Series in Forest Resources.
McGraw-Hill Book Company, New York.

Canadian Forestry Service. 1981.
Canadian Woods - Their Properties and Uses.
Third Edition. E.J. Mullins and T.S. McKnight, Editors.
Published by University of Toronto Press, Toronto, Canada.

Mirov, N.T. 1967. The Genus PINUS.
The Ronald Press Company, New York. LCC Card No. 67-14783.

Jackson, A. and D. Day. 1991.
Good Wood Handbook - The Woodworker's Guide to Identifying, Selecting and Using the Right Wood.
Betterway Publications, Cincinnati, Ohio.

Little, E.L. 1980.
The Audobon Society Field Guide to North American Trees - Western Region.
Published Arthur A. Knopf, New York.

Western Wood Products Association. 19__. Softwoods of the Western USA.
Published and Distributed by the Western Wood Products Association,
Yeon Building, 522 S.W. Fifth Avenue, Portland, Oregon.

Little, E.L. 1980.
The Audobon Society Field Guide to North American Trees - Western Region.
Published by Arthur A. Knopf, New York.

Kaiser, Jo-Ann.
Wood of the Month: Ponderosa Pine - The Star of the Western Pines.
Wood & Wood Products, August, 1991. Page 54.

Boone, R.S., C.J. Kozlik, P.J. Bois and E.M. Wengert. 1988.
Dry Kiln Schedules for Commercial Woods: Temperate and Tropical.
United States Department of Agriculture, Forest Service,
Forest Products Laboratory, General Technical Report FPL-GTR-57, Madison, Wisconsin.

USDA. 1988. Dry Kiln Operators Manual, Preliminary Copy.
Forest Service, Forest Products Laboratory, Madison, Wisconsin.

Cypress Woodworks/2001

Copyright 2000/2001 Cypress Woodworks, all rights reserved