About Pine Lumber
Pine lumber is the most commonly used framing material in the United States. It is strong, lightweight and relatively inexpensive, which makes it an ideal choice for many applications. Pine lumber is harvested from several species of pine trees found naturally in the United States, Canada and other countries. Does this Spark an idea?
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History
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Pine lumber has been used throughout the world as a building material for thousands of years. In Colonial America, trees of exceptional height and quality were marked with a "broad arrow" design, designating them for Royal Crown use in shipbuilding. Trees so marked were referred to as the "Kingstree." During the American Revolution a great many of these were cut and hauled away for sport. Most early American log cabins were made of pine due to its exceptional straightness and the ease with which it could be worked.
Benefits
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Compared to other building materials, pine lumber is both plentiful and cheap. It is exceptionally strong for its weight, and is soft enough to accept complex milling processes such as those used to make trim and molding. Pine readily accepts a wide variety of fasteners, including screws, nails, glue and dowels. It is one of the most versatile woods in use today.
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Types
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Pine lumber may be made from a variety of different types of pine. Most pine lumber is made from "yellow pine" -- a catchall term for several species including Ponderosa Pine, Jeffery Pine and Shortleaf Pine. In the United Kingdom, Eastern White Pine is also included in the "yellow pine" description, but this species is classified as "white pine" in the United States. White pine is primarily used in the trim and furniture industries due to its higher quality and lower incidence of knots in the wood's surface.
Size
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Pine lumber can be cut to almost any length, although it is typically cut to even lengths in feet. Pine 2x4 lumber, for example, can be found in lengths of 6 feet to 16 feet or greater. Widths and thicknesses of other pine lumber vary. The second most common thickness is 3/4-inch, which is called 1-inch but reduced in thickness by during the milling process. 3/4-inch pine lumber is available in widths ranging from 1 inch to 12 inches. Modern log cabins are usually made from pine logs that have been milled to a standard size, usually between 6 and 8 inches in diameter.
Considerations
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Pine is loosely related to cedar, but cedar is considered a hardwood, whereas pine is a soft wood. While cedars can withstand extended periods of weathering, pine cannot. Any use of pine in an exterior environment requires either special treatment or exterior-grade paint. Pine is more susceptible to termite and rot damage than most other woods due to its open grain and high cellulose content. Pine lumber is strong for its weight, but it can not compete with other woods, such as oak, in strength-to-size comparisons. For example, an oak 2x4 is typically two to five times stronger than a pine 2x4 in load-bearing tests.
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