SPRUCE LUMBERS

 Spruce is a light and moderately soft wood with a clear colour and reddish grain. The growth rings are clearly identifiable. The white-yellow wood can assume grey or violet reflections and becomes darker on the sun light. Sap is a bit lighter but similar to heartwood. 

Histological structure:

Grain: straight;

Texture: coarse and uniform.

 

Characteristic defects:

Small sound but numerous knots;

Local resin concentrations;

Quite vulnerable to worms and weather conditions;

Occasional high content of moisture in the heartwood;

Ring shake.

 

Permeabilty:

permeable sap, impermeable heartwood.

 

Working properties:

Sawing: easy;

Drying: it dries fairly rapidly with little risk of splits and warp;

Planing: easy;

Glueing: good;

Nailing and screwing: inclined to splits;

Finishing: unbalanced finished colour.

 

Main uses:

Construction and panelling;

Windows, doors, mouldings, architectural joinery and flooring;

Furniture;

Packaging;

Musical instruments;

To extract cellulose for paper.

Mechanical properties:

Tensil strength : 710 kg/cm²

Compressive strength : 450 kg/cm²

Specific weight:

Green 860 kg/m³

Dried 450 kg/ m³

Size of planks:

Thickness 22mm-200mm

Width 95mm-300mm

Lenght 3000mm/4000mm/6000mm