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Boring
Carving
Comments
Common Names
Common Uses
Corrosive Properties
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
Plantation species?
Polishing
Product Sources
References
Regions of Distribution
Resistance to Impregnation
Resistance to Splitting
Response to Hand Tools
Routing & Recessing
Sanding
Sapwood Color
Scientific Name
Screwing
Staining
Steam Bending
Strength Properties
Synonyms
Texture
Trade Name
Tree Identification
Tree Size
Turning
Varnishing
Veneering Qualities

Scientific Name
Pinus radiata

Trade Name
Radiata pine

Family Name
Pinaceae

Synonyms
Pinus insignis


Wood Image 1

Wood Image 1

Common Names
Insignis, Insignis pine, Insignis-den, Insular pine, Monterey pine, Pino insigne, Radiata pine, Red pine, Remarkable pine

Plantation species?
Yes

Regions of Distribution
Africa, Latin America, North America, Oceania and S.E. Asia, Western Europe

Countries of Distribution  [VIEW MAP]
Argentina, Australia, Chile, Greece, Guadeloupe, India, Kenya, Mexico, New Zealand, South Africa, Spain, Tanzania, United States

Common Uses
Bearings & bushings, Boat building (general), Boxes and crates, Broom handles, Brush backs & handles, Building construction, Building materials, Cabin construction, Cabinetmaking, Construction, Decks, Decorative veneer, Factory construction, Figured veneer, Flooring, Flooring: commercial heavy traffic, Form work, Fuelwood, Furniture, Handles: general, Heavy construction, Joinery, Light construction, Marine construction, Matches, Moldings, Packing cases, Paneling , Paneling, Particleboard, Piling, Plywood corestock, Plywood, Poles, Posts, Pulp/Paper products, Pulpwood, Railroad ties, Roofing, Rough construction, Shingles, Toys, Turnery, Vats, Veneer, Veneer: decorative, Wainscotting

Environmental Profile
Threatened species within natural habitat


Its population on the Guadeloupe Island is especially vulnerable, but it has been successfully and widely planted in many areas in the southern hemisphere where pines are known to be non-native
Native to southern California

Distribution Overview
Although the natural range of Radiata pine is extremely small, (three localities on the coast of central California in the fog belt that extends about 6 miles (9.7 km) inland) its present expansion in the Southern Hemisphere through cultivation quites substantial. The species is cultivated on a commercial scale in New Zealand, Australia, Chile, and South Africa. It has also been successfully cultivated in Spain, France, Argentina, Greece, and India, and a variety of Radiata pine is also reported to grow in Guadeloupe Island and Mexico. The tree prefers to grow on slopes, in coarse soils, usually sandy loams, and is often found in pure stands or with Monterey cypress, Gowen cypress, and Coast live oak.

Heartwood Color
Brown
Purple
Yellow
Red
White to cream
Pale brown
Pale red to pink
Yellow to golden-yellow to orange
Brown
Reddish brown
Purple
Pinkish brown


Sapwood Color
White
Brown
Red
Paler than heartwood
White to yellow
Well defined
Same as heartwood
Wide
Clearly distinct from heartwood


Grain
Growth rings (figure)
Straight
Figure
Spiral
Crossed
Even

Clear growth rings (figure)
Straight
Spiral
Broad stripe on quartersawn surfaces
Generally straight, but not always


Texture
Medium
Fine
Fine
Uniform
Fine to medium
Even textured

Considerably less contrast in growth rings when compared to other pines

Luster
High


Natural Growth Defects
Latex or other ducts
Gum/resin streaks


Natural Durability
Perishable
Non durable
Resistant to attack from powder post (Lyctid & Bostrychid) beetles
Susceptible to attack from termites (Isoptera)
Perishable
Very little natural resistance to attack by decay fungi and other wood destroying organisms
Sapwood is susceptible to wood staining fungal attack
Prone to damage by insects


Odor
No specific smell or taste


Corrosive Properties
Non-corrosive


Kiln Schedules
Drying (speed) is fast
UK=K US=T13C4S/T11D3S
UK=H US=T10D4S/T8D3S Fr=7


Drying Defects
Checking
Slight twist/warp
Moderate cupping
May warp


Ease of Drying
Slowly
Thick Stock Requires Care
Moderate
Easy
Seasons rapidly at high temperatures (commercially up to 120 degrees C) with medium shrinkafe
Air dries easily and uniformly


Tree Identification
Bole/stem form is straight


Tree Size
Tree height is 10-20 m


Product Sources
Supplies of Ponderosa pine are substantial, with large inventories in both pure and mixed Ponderosa pine forests. The species is generally considered to be the most commercially important of the western pines.

Comments
General finishing qualities are rated as good

General finishing qualities are rated as poor

Boring
Fairly easy to very easy
Fair to good results
Moderately easy
Easy


Carving
Fairly Easy to Very Easy
Fair to Good Results


Cutting Resistance
Cutting Resistance with dry wood is easy
Cutting Resistance with green wood is easy
Fairly easy to saw


Gluing
Easy to glue
Good gluing properties


Mortising
Fairly Easy to Very Easy
Finishes poorly
Easy to mortise


Moulding
Fairly Easy to Very Easy
Fair to Good Results
Good finishing results
Easy to mould


Movement in Service
Stable
Medium


Nailing
Easy to nail
Holds nails well
Satisfactory resistance to decay above ground
Good nail holding properties


Planing
Fair to Good Results
Fairly Easy to Very Easy
Planes well, to a good finish
Ease of planing is moderate
Works rather easily dulling
Responds to thin and very sharp cutting edges well, with little dulling effect
Most machining operation, planing, turning, moulding and boring, produce clean finish
Area around knots may tear


Resistance to Impregnation
Permeable sapwood
Resistant sapwood
Resistant heartwood
Sapwood is permeable
Heartwood is moderately resistant
Permeable
Resistant
Extremely resistant
Easily treated by immersion

Most of the timber sold on the market are readily permeable sapwood from young, rapidly grown plantation trees

Resistance to Splitting
Excellent


Response to Hand Tools
Responds Readily
Easy to machine
Moderate working qualities


Routing & Recessing
Fairly Easy to Very Easy
Satisfactory routing results
Moderately easy


Sanding
Fairly Easy to Very Easy


Screwing
Screwing yields good results
Good screw holding properties
Easy to screw


Turning
Fairly Easy to Very Easy
Turns with moderate ease
Good results
Easy to treat using either open tank or pressure syste


Veneering Qualities
Easy to cut
No drying degrade. Dries flat without splitting
Good gluing qualities


Steam Bending
Poor
Moderate
Good


Painting
Good results


Polishing
Satisfactory polishing characteristics
Accepts wide variety of paints


Staining
Finish is generally good
Poor results
Stains well


Varnishing
Good results
Satisfactory


Strength Properties
Bending strength (MOR) = low
Max. crushing strength = medium
Modulus of Elasticity (stiffness) = very low
Density (dry weight) = 31-37 lbs/cu. ft.
Max. crushing strength = low
Shearing strength (parallel to grain) = low
Modulus of Elasticity (stiffness) = low
Shearing strength (parallel to grain) = very low
Hardness (side grain) = soft
Density (dry weight) = 23-30 lbs/cu. ft.
Hardness (side grain) = very soft
Bending strength (MOR) = medium
Shrinkage, Radial = small
Shrinkage, Radial = moderate
Modulus of Elasticity (stiffness) = medium
Max. crushing strength (stiffness) = very low
Shrinkage, Tangential = small
Shrinkage, Tangential = moderate
Toughness (total work) = very low
Shrinkage, Tangential = fairly large
Density (dry weight) = 38-45 lbs/cu. ft.
Bending strength (MOR) = very low
Shrinkage, Tangential = very small
Shrinkage, Radial = very small
Shearing strength (parallel to grain) = medium
Hardness (side grain) = medium
Work to Maximum Load
Toughness-Hammer drop (Impact Strength) = very low
Toughness (total work) = low
Shrinkage, Tangential = large
Shrinkage, Radial = large
Shrinkage, Radial = fairly large
Moderate shock resistance
Low stiffness
Crushing strength = medium

Most of the commercially available timber of Radiata pine is composed of fast grown plantation trees. These trees are reported to contain very high percentage of sapwood which makes them very easy to treat with preservatives. Radiata pine is steadily growing as a replacement for the more expensive Ponderosa pine in the United States. Genetic improvements in Chile have resulted in Radiata pine trees that are relatively free from knots and are also high in physical and mechanical properties

Numerical Data
ItemGreenDryEnglish
Bending Strength615510337psi
Density31lbs/ft3
Hardness768lbs
Impact Strength1818inches
Maximum Crushing Strength30115611psi
Shearing Strength1441psi
Stiffness121714181000 psi
Toughness113inch-lbs
Work to Maximum Load711inch-lbs/in3
Specific Gravity0.44
Weight3028lbs/ft3
Radial Shrinkage3%
Tangential Shrinkage6%
Volumetric Shrinkage11%
ItemGreenDryMetric
Bending Strength432726kg/cm2
Density496kg/m3
Hardness348kg
Impact Strength4545cm
Maximum Crushing Strength211394kg/cm2
Shearing Strength101kg/cm2
Stiffness85991000 kg/cm2
Toughness130cm-kg
Work to Maximum Load0.490.77cm-kg/cm3
Specific Gravity0.44
Weight480448kg/m3
Radial Shrinkage3%
Tangential Shrinkage6%

References
Australia - N.S.W. Forestry Commission,1968,Working Properties of some Native and Imported Timbers,Forestry Commission of New South Wales, Technical Publication No.8

Australia - N.S.W. Forestry Commission,1988,Furniture Timbers of New South Wales,Forest Commission, N.S.W., Aust. Tech. Publication No.1

Banks, C.H. and J.P. Schoeman. 1963. Railway Sleeper and Crossing Timbers. Bulletin No. 41, Republic of South Africa. The Government Printer, Pretoria, South Africa.

Berni, C.A., Bolza, E., Christensen, F.J.,1979,South American Timbers - The Characteristics, Properties and Uses of 190,Species,C.S.I.R.O Div. Building Research

Bier, H.,1983,The strength properties of small clear specimens of New Zealand-grown,timber,New Zealand Forest Service Forest Research Institute, FRI Bulletin No.41

Boas, I.H.,1947,The Commercial Timbers of Australia - Their Properties and Uses,Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, Melbourne

Bois, P.J.,1966,The Strength Properties of Tanzania Timbers,Tanzania Forest Div. Util. Sec. Moshi Tech. Note, No.35

Bolza, E., Keating, W.G.,1972,African Timbers - the Properties, Uses and Characteristics of 700 Species,C.S.I.R.O. Div. of Building Research

Bolza, E., Kloot, N.H.,1963,The Mechanical Properties of 174 Australian Timbers,C.S.I.R.O. Division of Forest Products Technological Paper,No.25

Brown, W.H.,1978,Timbers of the World No.1 Africa,TRADA, Red Booklet Series

Bryce, J. and Kitambi, G.,1960,The Air-drying Properties of some Tanganyika Timbers Technical Note No 23,Tanganyika Forest Department Utilisation Division Technical Note

Bryce, J.M.,1967,Commercial Timbers of Tanzania,Tanzanian Forestry Division Util. Sec. Moshi

Burton, R.D. and J.T. Miller. Introduced Forest Trees in New Zealand: Recognition, Role, and Seed Source, 12. Radiata pine (Pinus radiata). New Zealand Forest Research Institute Ltd., Bulletin 124.

Cown, D.J. 1992. New Zealand Radiata pine and Douglas fir, Sutability for Processing. New Zealand Forest Research Institute Ltd, Bulletin 168.

Da Costa, E.W.B., Osborne, L.D.,1967,Comparative decay resistance of 26 New Guinea timber species in,accelerated laboratory tests,Comm. Forestry Review 46(1) pp63-74

Dadswell, H.E., Eckersley, A.M.,1935,The Identification of the Principal Commercial Australian Timbers other,than eucalyptus,Australian C.S.I.R.O. Bulletin NO.90

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

Ditchburne, N., Kloot, N.H. and Rumball, B.,1975,The Mechanical Properties of Australian-grown Pinus radiata D.Don,CSIRO, Australia, Division of Building Research, Technical Paper No.9

Findlay, W.P.K.,1975,Timber: Properties and Uses,Crosby Lockwood Staples London,224PP

Forest Products Research Laboratory U.K.,1957,A Handbook of Softwoods,Department of Scientific and Industrial Research Forest Products Research,HMSO

Forest Products Research Laboratory, U.K.,1969,The Movement of Timbers,Forest Products Research Laboratory, Princes Risborough Technical Note,No.38

Forestry Commission of New South Wales,1987,Timbers used in New South Wales for Domestic Buildings,Forestry Commission of New South Wales, Technical Publication No.6

Gay, F.J., Et al,1955,Standard laboratory colonies of termites for evaluating the resistance of,timber, timber preservatives and other materials to termite attack.,C.S.I.R.O., Australia Bulletin,No.277

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

Kaiser, J. 1994. Wood of the Month: Radiata Pine - A Perfect Plantation Timber. Wood and Wood Products, March, 1994. Page 48.

Kloot, N.H., Bolza, E.,1961,Properties of Timbers Imported into Australia,C.S.I.R.O. Forest Products Division Technological Paper,No.12

Lavers, G.M. 1967. The Strength Properties of Timbers. Ministry of Technology, Forest Products Research, Bulletin No. 50. Her Majesty's Stationery Office, London.

Lavers, G.M.,1983,The Strength Properties of Timber (3rd ed. revised Moore G.L.,Forest Products Research Laboratory, Princes Risborough, Building Research,Establishment Report (formerly Bulletin No.50)

Lincoln, W.A. 1986. World Woods in Color. Linden Publishing Co. Inc., Fresno, California.

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

Little, E.L.,1948,A Collection of Tree Specimens from Western Ecuador,Caribbean Forester,9(3,pp215-98

MacDonald, J., R.F. Wood, M.V. Edwards and J.R. Aldhous, Editors. 1957. Exotic Forest Trees in Great Britain. Forestry Commission Bulletin No. 30. Paper Prepared for the Seventh British Commonwealth Forestry Conference, Australia and New Zealand. Her Majesty's Stationery Office, London.

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

Murira, K.,1984,Natural Durability Tests of Tanzanian Timbers 1955 - 1982,Tanzania Forestry Research Institute, Timber Utilisation Research Centre,,Moshi.

New Zealand Forest Research Institute,1988,New Zealand Radiata Pine A technical appraisal of produce, processes and,uses,Ministry of Forestry, Forest Research Institute, Rotorua, New Zealand

New Zealand Ministry of Forestry. Properties and Uses of New Zealand Radiata Pine, Volume 11 - Wood Properties. Kinmouth, J.A. and L.J. Whitehouse, Editors. Ministry of Forestry, New Zealand.

Paterson,1961,Average mechanical and physical properties of Kenya exotic softwoods,Kenya Forest Department, Technical Note No.82 (revised 1963)

Poynton, R.J.,1957,Notes on Exotic Forest Trees in South Africa (Second Edition, Revised,South African Forestry Department Bulletin No.38

Record, S.J., Hess, R.W.,1943,Timbers of the New World,Yale University Press

Rendle, B.J.,1969,World Timbers (3 Vols.,Ernest Benn Ltd. London

Rijsdijk, L.F. and Laming, P.B.,1994,Physical and Related Properties of 145 Timbers, Information for,Practice,TNO Building and Construction Research Centre for Timber Research Kluwer,Academic Publishers

Scott, M.H.,1951,The Quality and Uses of Exotic Softwoods in South Africa,Empire Forestry Review 30:235-249

Scott, M.H.,1953,Utilisation Notes on South African Timbers,South African Forestry Department Bulletin No.36

Sekhar, A.C.; Shukla, N.K. and Gandhi, B.L.,1974,A Note on the Strength Properties of some Exotic Species.,Van Vigyan XII (1-4) 1-7

Smith, S.W. and Entrican, A.R.,1957,Forestry in New Zealand,New Zealand Forest Service Information Series No.1

Stewart, A.M., Kloot, N.H.,1957,Mechanical Properties of Timbers,C.S.I.R.O., Australia Bulletin,No.279

Takahashi, A.,1975,Compilation of data on the Mechanical Properties of Foreign Woods (Part 2,Central and South America,Shimane University, Japan, Research Report on Foreign Wood No.4

Tanzania Forest Division,1967,The Weights and Shrinkage of some Local Timbers,Tanzania Forest Div. Util. Sect. Technical Note,No.25

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Timber Development Association Ltd.,1955,World Timbers (3 Vols.,Timber Development Association Ltd.









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