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Color/Appearance: Heartwood is reddish brown, sapwood is yellowish white.
Grain/Texture: Straight grained with a medium texture.
Endgrain: Large resin canals, numerous and evenly distributed, mostly solitary; earlywood to latewood transition abrupt, color contrast relatively high; tracheid diameter medium-large.
Rot Resistance: The heartwood is rated as moderate to low in decay resistance.
Workability: Overall, Pitch Pine works fairly well with most tools, though the resin can gum up tools and clog sandpaper. Pitch Pine glues and finishes well.
Odor: Has a distinct smell that is shared among most species in the Pinus genus.
Allergies/Toxicity: Working with pine has been reported to cause allergic skin reactions and/or asthma-like symptoms in some people. See the articles Wood Allergies and Toxicityand Wood Dust Safetyfor more information.
Pricing/Availability: Pitch Pine is sold and mixed interchangeably with other species as Southern Yellow Pine, which is widely available as a construction lumber for a modest price.
Sustainability: This wood species is not listed in the CITES Appendices, and is reported by the IUCN as being a species of least concern.
Common Uses: Southern Yellow Pine is used for heavy construction, such as: bridges, beams, poles, railroad ties, etc. It’s also used for making plywood, wood pulp, and veneers.
Comments: Although much more predominant in northern states, Pitch Pine is technically considered to be in the group of Southern Yellow Pines, (though it is a very minor species), and is found as far south as northern Georgia.
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