Picea glauca (White spruce)

Scientific Name
Picea glauca

Trade Name
White spruce

Family Name
Pinaceae

Common Names
Adirondack spruce, Blue spruce, Brunswick spruce, Canadian spruce, Cat spruce, Eastern Canadian spruce, Eastern spruce, Maritime spruce, New Brunswick spruce, Northern spruce, Quebec spruce, Single spruce, Skunk spruce, St. John spruce, Western white spruce, White spruce, Yellow spruce

Regions of Distribution
North America

Countries of Distribution  [VIEW MAP]
Canada, United States

Common Uses
Agricultural implements, Boat building (general), Boxes and crates, Building materials, Cabinetmaking, Canoes, Casing, Casks, Chairs, Chests, Concealed parts (Furniture), Concrete formwork, Cooperages, Desks, Dining-room furniture, Dowell pins, Dowells, Drawer sides, Fine furniture, Floor lamps, Food containers, Furniture , Furniture components, Furniture squares or stock, Furniture, Hardboards, Hatracks, Heavy construction, Insulating boards, Interior construction, Interior trim, Joinery, Kitchen cabinets, Ladders , Ladders, Light construction, Living-room suites, Millwork, Mine timbers, Moldings, Musical instruments, Musical instruments: piano, Musical instruments: strings, Oars, Office furniture, Packing cases, Pallets, Paneling , Particleboard, Plywood, Poles, Pulp/Paper products, Pulpwood, Radio – stereo – TV cabinets, Rafters, Roofing, Rustic furniture, Tables, Vehicle parts, Veneer

Environmental Profile

Distribution Overview
The species is distributed across North America from close to the northern limits of Alaska and British Columbia, east to Labrador, south to Maine, and west to Minnesota. It is also reported to occur in localized regions in northwestern Montana, South Dakota and Wyoming. White spruce thrives on various soil types, and is mostly found in coniferous forests, but sometimes in pure stands. It grows from sea level to near timberline at altitudes of 2000 to 5000 feet (610 to 1524 m). White spruce is also cultivated in Great Britain.

Heartwood Color

The wood is nearly white to pale yellowish brown. Woods produced by White, Red, Black, and Engelmann spruce are very similar in structure and cannot be differentiated with any degree of certainty. Differences in appearance and properties are mainly dependent upon growth rates of the different species

Sapwood Color

Grain

Texture

Luster

Natural Durability

Prolonged exposure to the weather is reported to turn the wood light gray, with a silvery sheen

Odor

Kiln Schedules

Drying Defects

Some common degrades associated with kiln drying white spruce are water pockets, collapse, and ring failure. The cause is believed to be wetwood

Ease of Drying

Tree Size

The tree is reported to reach a height of 40 to 100 feet (12 to 30 m), with a trunk diameter of 12 to 24 inches (30 to 60 cm).

Product Sources
Timber produced by White spruce, Black spruce (P. mariana), and Red spruce (P. rubens) are often mixed and marketed together under the trade name Eastern spruce since they are too similar to separate on the basis of structure.

Substitutes
Aspen (Populus tremuloides) is similar in strength properties.

Comments
General finishing qualities are rated as good

Blunting Effect

Boring

White spruce bores well

Carving

Cutting Resistance

Gluing

Mortising

Moulding

Movement in Service

Nailing

Planing

Resistance to Impregnation

Very poor response to preservative treatment.

Resistance to Splitting

Response to Hand Tools

Routing & Recessing

Sanding

Screwing

Turning

Veneering Qualities

Steam Bending

Painting

Polishing

Staining

Varnishing

Strength Properties

The wood has moderate properties in weight and density.

Numerical Data

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.

Brown, H.P. and Panshin, A.J.,1940,Commercial Timbers of the United States Their structure, identification,,properties and uses,McGraw-Hill, London

Brown, W.H.,1978,Timbers of the World: – No.7 North America,TRADA

Canadian Forestry Service. 1981. Canadian Woods – Their Properties and Uses. Third Edition. E.J. Mullins and T.S. McKnight, Editors. Published by University of Toronto Press, Toronto, Canada.

Clifford, N.,1957,Timber Identification for the Builder and Architect,Leonard Hill (Books) LTD. London

Constantine, Jr., A.J. 1975. Know Your Woods – A Complete Guide to Trees, Woods, and Veneers. Revised by H.J. Hobbs. Charles Scribner’s Sons, New York

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

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

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

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

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

Little, E.L. 1980. The Audobon Society Field Guide to North American Trees – Western Region. Published by Arthur A. Knopf, New York.

Markwardt, L.J., Wilson, T.R.C.,1935,Strength and related properties of woods grown in the United States,U.S.A. Department of Agriculture Technical Bulletin,No.479

Mullins, E.J. and McKnight, T.S.,1981,Canadian Woods Their Properties and Uses,University of Toronto Press 3rd Edition

Ostrander, M.D.,1974,American Woods Eastern Spruce,USDA, Forest Service American Woods FS-263

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.

Patterson, D.,1988,Commercial Timbers of the World, 5th Edition,Gower Technical Press

Peh, T.B. and Khoo, K.C.,1984,Timber Properties of Acacia mangium, Gmelina arborea, Paraserianthes,falcataria and their utilization aspects.,The Malaysian Forester, Vol.47, No.4, pp.285-303.

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

Redding, L.W.,1971,Resistance of Timbers to Impregnation with Creosote,Forest Products Research Laboratory, Princes Risborough, Building Research,Establishment Bulletin No.54 pp.43

T.D.A.,1942,Timber Leaflet No.59 Canadian Spruce (Picea glauca,TRADA Timber Leaflet

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

Titmuss, F.H.,1965,Commercial Timbers of the World,Technical Press Ltd., London, 3rd edition

U.S.D.A. Forest Service,1974,Wood Handbook,U.S.A. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service Handbook,72

USDA. 1987. Wood Handbook:Wood as an Engineering Material. Agriculture Handbook No. 72. United States Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Madison, Wisconsin.

USDA. 1988. Dry Kiln Operator’s Manual – Preliminary Copy. Forest Service, Forest Products Laboratory, Madison, Wisconsin.

Western Wood Products Association. 19__. Woods of the Western USA. Published and Distributed by the Western Wood Products Association, Yeon Building, 522 S.W. Fifth Avenue, Portland, Oregon.

Wood, A.D.,1963,Plywoods of the World: Their Development, Manufacture and,Application,Johnston & Bacon Ltd. Edinburgh & London

Yvon, J.,1975,Le Nieuk (Fillaeopsis discophora,Bois et Forets des Tropiques,No.159,pp73-6