Properties of Western White Pine

Western White Pine (Pinus monticola) makes up a very small percentage of British Columbia’s (BC’s) growing stock, commonly found in drier parts of coastal BC and wetter parts of BS’s interior.

The wood is light colored, straight-grained, uniform textured, soft, and relatively light in weight at about 26 lbs per cubic foot air dried.  Pitch pockets and blisters are common.  The annual rings show very little differentiation between spring and summerwood making it exceptionally easy to work or carve.  Minimal shrinkage makes it suitable for cabinet manufacturing.  Western white pine wood retains surface coatings such as paint or stains and it takes and holds fasteners well.  It is cut primarily for use in windows, doors, boxes, and general construction lumber. 

White pine blister rust, being almost impossible to eradicate, has made Western white pine of limited commercial importance.  However, it is still available in limited quantities and produced for millwork applications under the National Lumber Grades Authority (NLGA) rules.