Pine, Lodgepole (Pinus contorta)

Pine, Lodgepole is a domestic softwood

Location

Lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta), also known as knotty, black, and spruce pine, grows in the Rocky Mountain and Pacific Coast regions as far northward as Alaska. Wood for lumber and other products is produced primarily in the central Rocky Mountain States; other producing regions are Idaho, Montana, Oregon, and Washington.

Characteristics

The heartwood of lodgepole pine varies from light yellow to light yellow-brown. The sapwood is yellow or nearly white. The wood is generally straight grained with narrow growth rings. The wood is moderately lightweight, is fairly easy to work, and has moderately high shrinkage. It is moderately low in strength, moderately soft, moderately stiff, and moderately low in shock resistance.

Primary Uses

Lodgepole pine is used for lumber, mine timbers, railroad crossties, and poles. Less important uses include posts and fuel. Lodgepole pine is being used increasingly for framing, siding, millwork, flooring, and cabin logs.

*Much of the base wood information presented here is made available by the USDA FPL FS. If you are interested in a much more technical description of wood properties, I encourage you to visit the source.