Red spruce
Picea rubens Sarg. · Softwood · North America
Properties
| Janka hardness | 530 lbf (2,357 N) |
|---|---|
| Average dried weight (est.) | 25 lb/ft³ (400 kg/m³) |
| Specific gravity | 0.40 |
| Modulus of rupture | 10,800 psi (74.5 MPa) |
| Modulus of elasticity | 1.66 million psi (11.45 GPa) |
| Crushing strength | 5,540 psi (38.2 MPa) |
| Shrinkage — radial | 3.8% |
| Shrinkage — tangential | 7.8% |
| Shrinkage — volumetric | 11.8% |
| Shrinkage T/R ratio | 2.1 |
Values at 12% moisture content, clear-wood averages. Source: USDA Forest Products Laboratory, Wood Handbook FPL-GTR-282 (2021), Table 5-3 p. 5-13; shrinkage Table 4-3 p. 4-8.
Red spruce is one of the three eastern spruces — red, white, and black — which have about the same properties and are not distinguished from each other in commerce. The greatest use of eastern spruce is for pulpwood, and its lumber is used for framing material, general millwork, boxes and crates, and piano sounding boards.
Appearance & grain
The wood is light in color, and there is little difference between heartwood and sapwood.
Workability
Eastern spruce dries easily and is stable after drying, and the wood is easily worked. It is moderately lightweight, has moderate shrinkage, and is moderately strong, stiff, tough, and hard.
Common uses
- Pulpwood
- Framing material
- General millwork
- Boxes and crates
- Piano sounding boards
Conservation: IUCN Red List: Least Concern (checked 2026-10-24).
Work with Red spruce
Similar woods
Photo: Shenandoah National Park from Virginia · Public domain (source)
Property data: USDA Forest Products Laboratory, Wood Handbook — Wood as an Engineering Material, FPL-GTR-282 (2021).