Sugar pine
Pinus lambertiana Dougl. · Softwood · North America
Properties
| Janka hardness | 380 lbf (1,690 N) |
|---|---|
| Average dried weight (est.) | 22 lb/ft³ (360 kg/m³) |
| Specific gravity | 0.36 |
| Modulus of rupture | 8,200 psi (56.5 MPa) |
| Modulus of elasticity | 1.19 million psi (8.21 GPa) |
| Crushing strength | 4,460 psi (30.8 MPa) |
| Shrinkage — radial | 2.9% |
| Shrinkage — tangential | 5.6% |
| Shrinkage — volumetric | 7.9% |
| Shrinkage T/R ratio | 1.9 |
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.
Sugar pine is a lightweight, soft pine (specific gravity 0.36, Janka hardness 380 lbf) used almost exclusively for lumber products, above all boxes and crates and millwork such as sashes, doors, and blinds. Its volumetric shrinkage of 7.9% is the lowest of the softwoods in this set.
Appearance & grain
The heartwood is buff or light brown, sometimes tinged with red. The sapwood is creamy white. The grain is straight and the texture fairly uniform.
Workability
Sugar pine is easy to work with tools, dries readily without warping or checking, and is dimensionally stable, with very low shrinkage. Against that, it is moderately low in strength, moderately soft, and low in shock resistance and stiffness.
Common uses
- Boxes and crates
- Sashes
- Doors
- Frames
- Blinds
- General millwork
- Building construction
- Foundry patterns
Conservation: IUCN Red List: Least Concern (checked 2026-10-24).
