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Blunting Effect
Boring
Common Names
Countries of Distribution
Cutting Resistance
Distribution Overview
Drying Defects
Ease of Drying
Environmental Profile
Family Name
Gluing
Grain
Heartwood Color
Kiln Drying Rate
Mortising
Moulding
Movement in Service
Nailing
Natural Durability
Numerical Data
Odor
Painting
Planing
Polishing
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
Pinus clausa

Trade Name
Sand Pine

Family Name
Betulaceae

Wood Image 1

Common Names
Sand pine, Scrub pine, Spruce pine

Regions of Distribution
North America

Countries of Distribution  [VIEW MAP]
Canada, United States

Environmental Profile
Abundant/Secure
Very rare
Rare in its natural habitat
Locally found in a restricted range
Locally found in a restricted range
Extinct, Endangered, Vulnerable, or Rare within its range
Data source is World Conservation Monitoring Center
Data source is Nature Conservancy
Abundant in some locations

Rare in its natural habitats in Florida and Alabama in the US

Distribution Overview
This species occurs almost exclusively in Florida, where it is found in two separate regions about 125 miles (200 km) apart. Primary growth site is in central Florida, and the secondary site is located in the western part of the state. The species grows from sea level to an elevation of about 200 feet (60 m). Its range extends to Fort Lauderdale on the Atlantic Coast, and to Tampa on the Gulf Coast. The species is also reported to extend westward into Alabama. Sand pine trees growing in the western part of its range are typified by cones that open when mature, but those growing in central Florida are reported to open and release their seeds only after a severe fire sweeps through its range. The habitat in both areas are, however, believed to be fragmented and are continually being depleted by development. The tree prefers well-drained sandy soils, and is often found in pure stands.

Heartwood Color
Brown
Red
White
Yellow
Purple
Orange
Ages to dark rich shade of reddish-brown upon exposure


Sapwood Color
White
Yellow
Red
Yellowish
Whitish


Grain
Even
Straight

Straight


Texture
Medium
Fine
Coarse


Natural Durability
Moderately durable
Susceptible to insect attack
Non-durable
Perishable
Durable
Non-resistant to termites


Odor
Has an odor
Has a taste


Drying Defects
Discoloration
Checking
Distortion


Ease of Drying
Fairly Easy
Moderately Difficult to Difficult
Slowly
Rapidly


Kiln Drying Rate
Naturally dries at a moderate speed
Naturally dries quickly


Tree Size
Tree height is 20-30 m
Tree height is 30-40 m
Trunk diameter is 100-150 cm
Tree height is 40-50 m
Sapwood width is 5-10 cm
Tree height is 50-60 m
Trunk diameter is 150-200 cm
Sapwood width is 0-5 cm
Trunk diameter is 200-250 cm
Bole length is 20-30 m
Bole length is 10-20 m
Tree height is 60-70 m


Blunting Effect
Little


Boring
Fairly easy to very easy
Very good to excellent results


Cutting Resistance
Easy to saw


Gluing
Fairly Easy to Very Easy
Very Good to Excellent Results
Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult
Fair to Good Results


Mortising
Fairly Easy to Very Easy
Fair to Good Results
Very Good to Excellent Results


Moulding
Fairly Easy to Very Easy
Very Good to Excellent Results
Fair to Good Results


Movement in Service
Excellent Stability - Small Movement
Fair to Good Stability - Medium Movement


Nailing
Fair to Good Results
Fairly Easy to Very Easy
Very Good to Excellent Results


Planing
Fairly Easy to Very Easy
Fair to Good Results
Very Good to Excellent Results


Resistance to Impregnation
Resistant sapwood
Resistant heartwood
Permeable heartwood
Permeable sapwood
Moderately resistant to preservative treatment


Response to Hand Tools
Easy to Work
Responds Readily


Routing & Recessing
Fairly Easy to Very Easy
Fair to Good Results
Very Good to Excellent Results


Sanding
Fair to Good Results
Fairly Easy to Very Easy


Screwing
Fairly Easy to Very Easy
Fair to Good Results
Very Good to Excellent Results


Turning
Fairly Easy to Very Easy
Fair to Good Results
Very Good to Excellent Results


Veneering Qualities
Suitable for peeling
Veneers moderately easy
Difficult to veneer
Veneers easily


Steam Bending
Unsuitable


Painting
Fair to Good Results
Very Good to Excellent Results
Fairly Easy to Very Easy


Polishing
Fair to Good Results
Very Good to Excellent Results
Fairly Easy to Very Easy


Staining
Fair to Good Results
Very Good to Excellent Results
Fairly Easy to Very Easy


Varnishing
Fairly Easy to Very Easy
Fair to Good Results
Very Good to Excellent Results


Strength Properties
Hardness = medium
Compression strength (parallel to grain) = medium
Bending strength (MOR) = medium


Numerical Data
ItemGreenDryEnglish
Bending Strength735011368psi
Crushing Strength441819psi
Hardness715lbs
Maximum Crushing Strength33716782psi
Stiffness100013821000 psi
Work to Maximum Load99inch-lbs/in3
Specific Gravity0.32
Radial Shrinkage4%
Tangential Shrinkage7%
Volumetric Shrinkage10%
ItemGreenDryMetric
Bending Strength516799kg/cm2
Crushing Strength3157kg/cm2
Hardness324kg
Maximum Crushing Strength237476kg/cm2
Stiffness70971000 kg/cm2
Work to Maximum Load0.630.63cm-kg/cm3
Specific Gravity0.32
Radial Shrinkage4%
Tangential Shrinkage7%

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.

Little, E.L. 1980. The Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Trees - Eastern Region. Published by Arthur A. Knopf, New York.

Mirov, N.T. 1967. The Genus PINUS. The Ronald Press Company, New York. LCC Card No. 67-14783.

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.

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.