Tempo:
Table 10 Commercial species of lumber Commercial Species Group Designation
Grade Stamp Identification
Species in Combination
Spruce – Pine – Fir
S–P–F
Spruce (all species except coast sitka spruce), lodgepole pine, jack pine, alpine fir, balsam fir
Woods of similar characteristics. They work easily, take paint easily and hold nails well. Generally white to pale yellow in colour.
Douglas Fir – Larch
D. Fir – L
Douglas fir, Western larch
High degree of hardness and good resistance to decay. Good nail holding, gluing and painting qualities. Colour ranges from reddish-brown to yellowish white.
Hem – Fir
Hem – Fir
Pacific coast hemlock, amabilis fir
They work easily, take paint well and hold nails well. Good gluing characteristics. Colour range pale yellow-brown to white.
Northern Species
North
Western red cedar
Wood with exceptional resistance to decay. Moderate in strength. High in appearance qualities, it works easily and takes fine finishes. Colour varies from reddish-brown heartwood to light sapwood.
North
Red pine, ponderosa pine
Fairly strong and easy-to-work woods that take a good finish and hold nails and screws well. Moderately durable, they season with little checking or cupping. Sapwood is a pale yellow colour; heartwood pale brown to reddish tinge.
Western white pine, eastern white pine
Softest of the Canadian pines, they work and finish exceptionally well. Not as strong as most pines but do not tend to split or splinter. Good nail holding properties. Low shrinkage, better than all other Canadian species except the cedars. Take stains, paints and varnishes well. Colour of sapwood almost white; heartwood creamy white to light straw brown.
Trembling aspen, largetooth aspen, balsam poplar
Light woods of moderate strength, they work easily, finish well and hold nails well. Generally light in colour, varying from almost white to greyish white.
Wood Characteristics
Grade Stamp Identification
Species in Combination
Spruce – Pine – Fir
S–P–F
Spruce (all species except coast sitka spruce), lodgepole pine, jack pine, alpine fir, balsam fir
Woods of similar characteristics. They work easily, take paint easily and hold nails well. Generally white to pale yellow in colour.
Douglas Fir – Larch
D. Fir – L
Douglas fir, Western larch
High degree of hardness and good resistance to decay. Good nail holding, gluing and painting qualities. Colour ranges from reddish-brown to yellowish white.
Hem – Fir
Hem – Fir
Pacific coast hemlock, amabilis fir
They work easily, take paint well and hold nails well. Good gluing characteristics. Colour range pale yellow-brown to white.
Northern Species
North
Western red cedar
Wood with exceptional resistance to decay. Moderate in strength. High in appearance qualities, it works easily and takes fine finishes. Colour varies from reddish-brown heartwood to light sapwood.
North
Red pine, ponderosa pine
Fairly strong and easy-to-work woods that take a good finish and hold nails and screws well. Moderately durable, they season with little checking or cupping. Sapwood is a pale yellow colour; heartwood pale brown to reddish tinge.
Western white pine, eastern white pine
Softest of the Canadian pines, they work and finish exceptionally well. Not as strong as most pines but do not tend to split or splinter. Good nail holding properties. Low shrinkage, better than all other Canadian species except the cedars. Take stains, paints and varnishes well. Colour of sapwood almost white; heartwood creamy white to light straw brown.
Trembling aspen, largetooth aspen, balsam poplar
Light woods of moderate strength, they work easily, finish well and hold nails well. Generally light in colour, varying from almost white to greyish white.
Wood Characteristics
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