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Clicking any heading in the main data area (at right) will scroll the page back to this top position. Use the following links to jump to the associated section in the main data. Blunting Effect Boring Carving Common Names Common Uses Countries of Distribution Cutting Resistance Distribution Overview Drying Defects Ease of Drying Environmental Profile Family Name Gluing Grain Heartwood Color Kiln Schedules Luster Mortising Moulding Movement in Service Nailing Natural Durability Natural Growth Defects Numerical Data Odor Painting Planing Polishing Product Sources References Regions of Distribution Resistance to Impregnation Response to Hand Tools Routing & Recessing Sanding Sapwood Color Scientific Name Screwing Staining Steam Bending Strength Properties Texture Trade Name Tree Size Turning Varnishing Veneering Qualities Scientific Name Picea mariana Trade Name Black spruce Family Name Pinaceae Common Names Black spruce, Bog spruce, Canadian spruce, Eastern spruce, Shortleaf black spruce, Spruce, Swamp spruce Regions of Distribution North America Countries of Distribution  [VIEW MAP] Canada, United States Common Uses Agricultural implements, Boat building (general), Boat building, Boxes and crates, Cabinetmaking, Canoes, Casks, Concrete formwork, Drum sticks, Fiber moulded products, Food containers, Furniture, Hardboards, Heavy construction, Insulating boards, Ladders, Lifeboats, Light construction, Millwork, Mine timbers, Musical instruments , Musical instruments, Musical instruments: piano, Oars, Organ pipes, Packing cases, Pallets, Particleboard, Piano keys, Pianos , Plywood, Pulp/Paper products, Pulpwood, Round timbers, Shipbuilding, Sounding boards, Vehicle parts, Violin bows, Violin, Xylophones Environmental Profile Widespread Rare in parts of its range, especially at the periphery of its range Globally secure Data source is Nature Conservancy Abundant Distribution Overview The species is one of the most widely distributed conifers in North America. It occurs across North America from the northern limits of Alaska and British Columbia, east to Labrador, south to New Jersey, and west to Minnesota. It is found in coniferous forests, usually in pure stands, and prefers to grow in wet soils and bogs, including peats, clays, and loams, and grows at altitudes of 2000 to 5000 feet (615 to 1524 m). Heartwood Color Yellow Red Orange White to cream Yellow to golden-yellow to orange Pale brown The wood is nearly white to yellowish brown in color. Sapwood Color White Yellow Orange Color not distinct from heartwood Grain Straight Even Figure Growth rings (figure) Straight Even Clear growth rings (figure) Texture Medium Fine Fine to medium Medium Luster Lustrous Natural Growth Defects Gum/resin streaks Natural Durability Perishable Durable Moderately durable Non-durable Susceptible to insect attack Resistant to powder post beetles Non durable Should not be used under high decay hazard conditions without proper protection Moderately durable Heartwood has very little resistance to decay The timber is reported to turn light gray, with a silvery sheen after prolonged exposure to exterioir conditions Odor Has an odor Very fine Distinct (figure) No specific smell or taste Kiln Schedules Drying (speed) is fast UK=K US=T11B4/T10B3 Drying Defects Splitting Checking Discoloration Ease of Drying Fairly Easy Easy Moderate shrinkage Difficulty is rated as easy to moderate Tree Size Tree height is 20-30 m Tree height is 30-40 m The tree matures to a height of 20 to 60 feet (6 to 18 m), with a trunk diameter of 4 to 12 inches (10 to 30 cm). Lowest branches are reported to root easily by layering when bent to the ground by the weight of snow in the winter. The result is a ring of small trees around a large one Product Sources Although wood produced by Black spruce is generally stronger than that of White spruce (P. glauca), timber from the two species, together with that from Red spruce (P. rubens), are often mixed and marketed as Eastern spruce since they are too similar to separate. Blunting Effect Moderate Blunting effect on machining is slight Boring Fair to good results Fairly easy to very easy Good (75+ pieces out of 100 will yield good to excellent results) Carving Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Cutting Resistance Easy to saw Gluing Fairly Easy to Very Easy Fair to Good Results Easy to glue Very good properties Mortising Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Good mortising properties Moulding Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Moulds well (70+ % of pieces will yield good to excellent results) Movement in Service Stable Nailing Very Good to Excellent Results Nails hold poorly Holds nails well Excellent resistance to splitting in nailing operations Planing Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Responds fairly well to planing. Resistance to Impregnation Permeable heartwood Permeable sapwood Very difficult to penetrate with preservatives. Heartwood is resistant Heartwood is extremely resistant Response to Hand Tools Fairly Difficult to Difficult to Work Easy to machine Routing & Recessing Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Sanding Fair to Good Results Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Fairly Easy to Very Easy Screwing Very Good to Excellent Results Very good screw holding qualities Excellent screwing properties Turning Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Good results Veneering Qualities There is slight to moderate drying degrade and the potential for buckles and splits Moderately easy to veneer Steam Bending Unsuitable Painting Fair to Good Results Satisfactory results The timber takes paint satisfactorily Polishing Fair to Good Results Staining Fair to Good Results Varnishing Fair to Good Results Strength Properties 31-37 lbs/cu. ft. Work to Maximum Load = very low Shearing strength (parallel to grain) = very low Modulus of Elasticity (stiffness) = very low Low Hardness (side grain) = very soft Density (dry weight) = 23-30 lbs/cu. ft. Toughness-Hammer drop (Impact Strength) = very low Low Low Toughness (total work) = very low Shrinkage, Tangential = moderate Shrinkage, Radial = moderate Mor/Bending strength = very low Medium Max. crushing strength = very low Low Low Trength properties are moderate, but the timber has above average stiffness. It has medium bending strength in the air-dry condition (about 12 percent moisture content). Compression strength parallel to grain, or maximum crushing strength, is also medium. The wood is soft, and surfaces may dent easily. Weight is about average. Resin from both Red and Black spruce is the source of spruce gum, predecessor of modern chewing gum. The young leafy twigs of the tree were also a source of spruce beer, after boiling and adding flavoring and sugar. Numerical Data Item Green Dry English Bending Strength 5542 9406 psi Crushing Strength 250 573 psi Density 29 lbs/ft3 Hardness 422 lbs Impact Strength 24 23 inches Maximum Crushing Strength 2509 4853 psi Shearing Strength 1065 psi Static Bending 3038 5586 psi Stiffness 1184 1435 1000 psi Toughness 130 inch-lbs Work to Maximum Load 6 8 inch-lbs/in3 Specific Gravity 0.35 0.37 Weight 29 28 lbs/ft3 Radial Shrinkage 4 % Tangential Shrinkage 7 % Volumetric Shrinkage 11 % Item Green Dry Metric Bending Strength 389 661 kg/cm2 Crushing Strength 17 40 kg/cm2 Density 464 kg/m3 Hardness 191 kg Impact Strength 60 58 cm Maximum Crushing Strength 176 341 kg/cm2 Shearing Strength 74 kg/cm2 Static Bending 213 392 kg/cm2 Stiffness 83 100 1000 kg/cm2 Toughness 149 cm-kg Work to Maximum Load 0.42 0.56 cm-kg/cm3 Specific Gravity 0.35 0.37 Weight 464 448 kg/m3 Radial Shrinkage 4 % Tangential Shrinkage 7 % References Boone, R.S., C.J. Kozlik, P.J. Bois and E.M. Wengert. 1988. Dry Kiln Schedules for Commercial Woods: Temperate and Tropical. United States Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Forest Products Laboratory, General Technical Report FPL-GTR-57, Madison, Wisconsin. Brown, H.P. and Panshin, A.J.,1940,Commercial Timbers of the United States Their structure, identification,,properties and uses,McGraw-Hill, London Brown, W.H.,1978,Timbers of the World: - No.7 North America,TRADA Canadian Forestry Service. 1981. Canadian Woods - Their Properties and Uses. Third Edition. E.J. Mullins and T.S. McKnight, Editors. Published by University of Toronto Press, Toronto, Canada. Dallimore, W. and Jackson, A. Bruce,1966,A Handbook of Coniferae and Ginkgoaceae Fourth Ed. Revised by S.G.,Harrison,Edward Arnold (Publishers) Ltd. London Forest Products Research Laboratory U.K.,1957,A Handbook of Softwoods,Department of Scientific and Industrial Research Forest Products Research,HMSO Howard, A.L.,1948,A Manual of Timbers of the World.,Macmillan & Co. Ltd. London 3rd ed. I.U.F.R.O.,1973,Veneer Species of the World,Assembled at F.P.L. Madison on behalf of I.U.F.R.O. Working Party on,Slicing and Veneer Cutting Little, E.L. 1980. The Audobon Society Field Guide to North American Trees - Western Region. Published by Arthur A. Knopf, New York. Markwardt, L.J., Wilson, T.R.C.,1935,Strength and related properties of woods grown in the United States,U.S.A. Department of Agriculture Technical Bulletin,No.479 Mullins, E.J. and McKnight, T.S.,1981,Canadian Woods Their Properties and Uses,University of Toronto Press 3rd Edition Ostrander, M.D.,1974,American Woods Eastern Spruce,USDA, Forest Service American Woods FS-263 Panshin, A.J. and C. deZeeuw. 1980. Textbook of Wood Technology, 4th Edition. McGraw-Hill Series in Forest Resources. McGraw-Hill Book Company, New York. Titmuss, F.H.,1965,Commercial Timbers of the World,Technical Press Ltd., London, 3rd edition U.S.D.A. Forest Service,1974,Wood Handbook,U.S.A. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service Handbook,72 USDA. 1987. Wood Handbook - Wood as an Engineering Material, Forest Service, Agriculture Handbook No. 72, Forest Products Laboratory, Madison, Wisconsin. USDA. 1988. Dry Kiln Operators Manual, Preliminary Copy. Forest Service, Forest Products Laboratory, Madison, Wisconsin.