What is Sitka spruce timber used for?
The Irish forest industry currently uses Sitka spruce for a variety of end uses including building timber, fencing material (stakes), pallet manufacture, Medium Density Fibreboard (MDF) and Oriented Strand Board (OSB).
What is the difference between spruce and Sitka spruce?
Spruce trees are coniferous evergreens with needles attached singly to their branches in a spiral fashion. They’re large, often growing upwards of 60-230 feet. Generally, you’ll find spruce trees in different parts of North America….Adirondack Spruce vs. Sitka Spruce.
| Red Spruce | Sitka Spruce | |
|---|---|---|
| Crushing strength | 4,870 lb/sq.in | 5,550 lb/sq.in |
Is a Sitka spruce tree hardwood or softwood?
Spruce is a softwood. Spruce wood has a hardness rating of 510 lbf (2,268 N) which is relatively lower than most of the woods. It comes from a coniferous tree. Even though Spruce is considered as softwood, it has superior strength to weight ratio.
How can you tell spruce wood and Sitka?
Look out for: the cones which have crinkled and toothed margins. Identified in winter by: the needles which are flattened when viewed in a cross section. All spruces have a woody peg at the base of every needle, which helps to identify them.
Where can I find Sitka spruce?
Distribution: Sitka Spruce is mostly found along the moist coasts of southeastern Alaska, south to northern California. It lends its name to the Picea Sitchensis Ecological Zone, a long narrow zone that stretches along these coasts. It is distinguished by frequent summer fogs and proximity to the ocean.
Is spruce better than pine?
The basic difference between the two is that Spruce is straighter, with less likelihood of twisting and warping. The color of Spruce is white, and it is even and is more consistent than Pine while also possessing a better weight ratio and strength.
Is spruce wood rot resistant?
Spruce Weathering Characteristics The spruce offered for exterior applications exhibits moderate rot and pest resistance. Treatment with chemical preservatives and waterproofing compounds greatly increase spruce’s resistance to deterioration.
How long does it take for Sitka spruce to mature?
It is not necessary to consider any further subsequent thinnings after third thinning as the average tree size is forecasted to reach 0.8 m3 at 30 years after which time final harvest can take place.
How long does Sitka spruce take to grow?
It takes around 40 years from planting before most Sitka spruce trees are harvested, and only a proportion of those trees meet the stronger, higher value construction grades.
Where are Sitka spruce found?
Alaska
Sitka spruce is a maritime species, growing along the outer coast from Cape Mendocino in northern California to the Aleutian Island chain of Alaska. Within this range it seldom strays very far from salt water.
Where is Sitka spruce found?
What is a Sitka spruce tree?
Sitka Spruce is also known as Silver Spruce, Pacific Coast Spruce, and Tideland Spruce. Sitka Spruce grows along the Pacific coast of North America from Oregon north to Alaska, prized by musical instrument makers for guitars and pianos.
What is the difference between Bunya and Sitka spruce?
Bunya soundboards have a direct, strong, earthy and evocative tone with more midrange than Spruce. Bunya has enough flexibility to receive and amplify the vibrations of the guitar strings. Its colour is similar to Sitka Spruce, sometimes with slight pinkish tinges. Huon Pine has a beautiful golden yellow hue with a fine grain.
Are Sitka spruce billets expensive?
However, old growth and/or quartersawn clear pieces—free from knots—can be more expensive. Quartersawn billets of instrument-grade Sitka Spruce can easily exceed the cost of most all domestic hardwoods in terms of per board-foot cost.
What is the difference between Bunya and spruce soundboards?
Bunya soundboards have a direct, strong, earthy and evocative tone with more midrange than Spruce. Bunya has enough flexibility to receive and amplify the vibrations of the guitar strings.