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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. 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 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 Item Green Dry English Bending Strength 6155 10337 psi Density 31 lbs/ft3 Hardness 768 lbs