WHITEWOOD
THE TREE
SPRUCE IS, AFTER PINE, THE MOST COMMONLY USED SOFTWOOD. IT IS SHIPPED IN LARGE QUANTITIES FROM SWEDEN, FINLAND, RUSSIA, ROMANIA AND AUSTRIA. IT OCCURS THROUGHOUT THE NORTHERN CONIFEROUS FOREST AND IS PARTICULARLY IMPORTANT IN NORTH AMERICA, AS WHITE SPRUCE AND SITKA SPRUCE, AND IN EUROPE, WHERE IT IS KNOWN AS WHITEWOOD. THE TREES VARY IN SIZE; THOSE OF EASTERN AMERICA ARE MOSTLY SMALL, 12 TO 20m HIGH, BUT SITKA SPRUCE, IN THE WEST, REACHES 50 TO 60m WITH A BOLE 1 to 2m IN DIAMETER; EUROPEAN SPRUCE REACHES 30m OR MORE IN HEIGHT.
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THE WOOD
SPRUCE IS ALMOST WHITE, SOMETIMES WITH A PINKISH TINT IN SITKA SPRUCE, AND NOTED FOR ITS HIGH NATURAL LUSTRE. COMPARED WITH PINE OF THE REDWOOD TYPE, SPRUCE IS LESS RESINOUS, HAS LESS CONSPICUOUS GROWTH RINGS, AND IS ABOUT 10 PERCENT LIGHTER IN WEIGHT.
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TECHNICAL PROPERTIES
SPRUCE DRIES QUICKLY AND WELL. IT HAS GOOD STRENGTH, ESPECIALLY SITKA SPRUCE, AND WORKS EASILY TO TAKE A GOOD FINISH. IT IS NOT RESISTANT TO DECAY.
USES
SPRUCE FINDS A VARIETY OF USES, AS SAWN WOOD, VENEER AND PULP. IT IS THE WORLD’S MOST IMPORTANT PULP FOR NEWSPRINT BECAUSE OF ITS BRIGHT, WHITE COLOR. IT IS SAWN FOR STRUCTURAL USES – JOISTS, RAFTERS, STUDDING, ETC. - AND FOR INTERIOR JOINERY. CLEAR SPRUCE IS USED FOR PIANO SOUND-BOARDS AND THE FRONTS OF VIOLINS. IT IS OFTEN USED AS CORE-VENEER IN BIRCH AND DOUGLAS FIR PLYWOOD.
IN MIDDLE EAST, WHITE WOOD IS IMPORTED MAINLY FROM RUSSIA AND ROMANIA, CUT IN BOARDS AND MORALIS FOR USE OF COFFRAGE IN CONCRETE CONSTRUCTIONS.
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SOFT WOODS:
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