Ponderosa
Pine
Pinus ponderosa
Introduction
Western White pines often have a special place in the hearts of those who love wood. The combination of their resinous odour and light colour often reminds us of farmhouses, timeworn furniture and mountain cabins or ski resorts. However, these commercially important pines are the dominant choice for wood windows, a multitude of wood moulding and millwork items, and endless volumes of furniture, shelving and panelling throughout the world. Pine boards are available in many grades, from virtually clear to utility levels of quality.
While Ponderosa Pine (Pinus ponderosa), Sugar Pine (Pinus lambertiana) and Idaho White Pine (Pinus monticola) are valued primarily for their appearance and workability, the fourth pine in this group, Lodgepole(Pinus contorta), is valued also for its strength. It is the archetypal pole of the American West and the "pine" species in the SPFS (Spruce-Pine-Fir, South) species combination for dimension timber.
In U.S. timber species, the Western White pines are distinctly different from the Southern Yellow pines. Southern pines more coarsely grained, denser, all widely used for structural applications, and generally harvested in short rotations for use in dimension timber sizes.
Western pines are prized for the beauty of the wood. These pines are managed in natural stands, on long rotations, and generally selectively harvested. The large trees yield substantial volumes of creamy white to straw-yellow sapwood, with relatively few, widely spaced knots, and a minimal amount of heartwood which is generally a light, reddish-brown. Wood is soft-textured with a typically straight, close and uniform grain that is delicately figured after dressing. Among these pines, Ponderosa leads in volume and availability.
Ceiling panelling is a combination of Sugar and Ponderosa Pines, windows trimmed in Ponderosa, the columns are Douglas Fir. Selected boards reveal Sugar Pine’s high degree of contrast between the heartwood and sapwood colours. Ponderosa pine has uniform grain with little colour variation.
