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Sugar pine
Sugar pine
Common Names
==================================
Sugar pine
Pine
Big pine
Gigantic pine
Great sugar pine
Shade pine
Common Uses
==================================
Interior trim
Paneling
Siding
Sub-flooring
Roofing
Beams
Cabin construction
Exterior trim & siding
Flooring
Framing
Heavy construction
Interior construction
Joists
Millwork
Moldings
Porch columns
Rafters
Studs
Trimming
Wainscoting
Species Distribution
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REGIONS:
North America
COUNTRIES:
United States
Physical and Environmental Profile
==================================
Environmental Profile
Sugar pine is reported to be rather widespread,
abundant, and secure globally,
although it may be quite 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 majestic of all the pines,
Sugar pine
is reported to occur from western Oregon south through the Sierra
Nevada,
to western Nevada and southern California.
It is also found in northern Baja, California.
It is often found in mixed coniferous forests and
is reported to be adapted to various types of mountain
soils.
Sugar pine is reported to grow at elevations that are commonly
6000 to 9000 feet (1829 to 2745 m).
It is also found, but less frequently,
down to an elevation of about 3500 feet (1067 m)
and up to an
altitude of about 10000 feet (3048 m).
The best stands of Sugar pine trees are reported to occur at
elevations between
4500 and 6000 feet (1372 and 1829 m) in the central Sierra,
from San Joaquin River to the American River.
Product Sources
Some material from this species is reported to
be available from sustainably managed,
salvaged, recycled, or other environmentally responsible
sources.
Supplies of Sugar pine are reported to be
adequate,
thanks to modern logging techniques
which allow less accessible
stands of the species to be harvested.
Sugar pine, especially wide clear, stock,
is reported to sell at
a slight premium over other White pines.
Tree Data
The large and very tall tree is reported to
develop a straight trunk with a
diameter of 36 to 72 inches (90
to 180 cm).
It reaches heights that are commonly 100 to 160 feet (30 to 49
m),
but heights of over 200 feet (60 m) and
trunk diameters of more
than 10 feet (3 m) are reported to have been recorded.
Sapwood Color
The sapwood is somewhat white to pale yellowish
white.
Heartwood Color
The heartwood is pale brown to light reddish
brown.
The reddish brown color is significantly lighter than
it is in
the eastern and western white pines.
Grain
Grain is typically straight and even, and
tangential surfaces often exhibit a faint,
but very attractive figure with numerous flecks of large, dark
brown resin canals.
Texture
Texture is usually fairly coarse and
uniform.
Natural Durability
The heartwood is reported to have very little
natural resistance to decay,
and should not be used under conditions that promote decay
without appropriate chemical protection.
Cutting Resistance
The material is reported to require very sharp
cutting edges, but it works rather well.
Planing
Sugar pine is reported to have excellent planing
properties.
Its working qualities have been described as
fabulous because of
its uniform texture and low density.
The wood is reported to cut and shape readily and
predictably,
and workshops are usually filled with the
sweet scented aroma
given off by the resin in the wood.
Turning
The material is reported to turn very
well.
Molding
Molding qualities are rated as very good.
Boring
The wood is reported to respond very well to
boring.
Mortising
Sugar pine 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
excellent.
Sanding
The wood is reported to have good sanding
characteristics.
Polishing
Polishing properties are reported to be
satisfactory.
Staining
The timber is reported to stain satisfactorily,
but high resin content may cause turpentine based sealer
to soften and bubble around knots and on the end grain.
Varnishing
Varnishing properties are rated as fair.
(See
comments under Staining).
Painting
The material takes paint satisfactorily.
(See
comments under Staining)
Response to Hand Tools
Response to hand tools is reported to be
generally good.
Strength Properties
Strength properties are reported to be rather
poor in comparison with the Yellow pines
since timber produced by Sugar pine lacks the dense latewood
bands
which contribute to the strength of the Yellow pines.
Bending strength and maximum crushing strength are low.
It is not hard and can be dented and marred easily.
The wood is light in weight.
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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.
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.
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.
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.
USDA. 1988. Dry Kiln Operators Manual,
Preliminary Copy.
Forest Service, Forest Products Laboratory, Madison,
Wisconsin.
Arno, J. 1988. Pinus lambertiana - Sugar pine.
In A Guide to Useful Woods of the World.
Flynn Jr., J.H., Editor. King Philip Publishing Co.,
Portland, Maine. 1994. Page 270-271.
Copyright 2000/2001 Cypress Woodworks, all rights
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