When discussing whether spruce is a hardwood, it's important to understand the distinctions between hardwoods and softwoods, as well as the specific characteristics of spruce wood.
"Red spruce cone on the forest floor" by USFWS/Southeast is marked with Public Domain Mark 1.0. To view the terms, visit https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/.
Hardwoods vs. Softwoods
The terms "hardwood" and "softwood" do not necessarily refer to the density or hardness of the wood but rather to the botanical classification of the tree.
Hardwoods: These come from deciduous trees, which are trees that shed their leaves annually. Common hardwoods include oak, mahogany, and maple.
Softwoods: These come from coniferous trees, which typically have needles and produce cones. Examples include pine, fir, and notably, spruce.
Spruce Wood: Properties and Characteristics
Spruce is classified as a softwood, which has several key properties that influence its use and performance in various applications:
"Service biologist Sue Cameron readies a spruce tree" by USFWS/Southeast is licensed under CC BY 2.0. To view a copy of this license, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/.
Mechanical Properties: Spruce has low resistance to shock loads and low stiffness. It has medium crushing and bending strength but poor steam-bending properties.
Ease of Working: It is easy to work with, both with hand and machine tools, despite having a slight blunting effect on cutters. Hard knots in the wood can be damaging to tools.
Finishing: Spruce performs well when planed, turned, sawn, drilled, moulded, glued, sanded, varnished, painted, and stained.
Seasoning and Stability
Proper seasoning is essential to maintain the quality and dimensional stability of spruce wood. Here's an overview of its drying and seasoning characteristics:
Drying Time: Spruce dries quickly and efficiently, but care must be taken to avoid issues such as checks or splits, particularly in spiral-grained sections.
Stability: Spruce wood can experience medium movement in use, with its stability highly contingent on environmental conditions and protective finishes.
Common Characteristics
Color: Spruce can vary in color, often described as light brown, white/cream (very light brown), or yellow/brown.
Scent: Fresh spruce wood has a noticeable resinous aroma.
Density: The average gross density of spruce is approximately 470 kg/m³ at 12-15% moisture content.
"North Carolina wildlife technician Charles Lawson plants a spruce tree" by USFWS/Southeast is licensed under CC BY 2.0. To view a copy of this license, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/.
Usage Recommendations
Spruce is versatile and can be used for both interior and exterior applications with proper treatment:
Interior Use: Ideal for furniture, ceilings, and interior design elements. Spruce provides a light and elastic material that is easy to work with.
Exterior Use: Spruce can be used for outdoor structures like fences and window frames if properly treated with protective coatings to safeguard against moisture and rot.
Spruce Wood Applications Table
Application
Details
Construction
Roof structures, bridge construction, and other structural uses
Furniture
Popular for various types of furniture due to its workability
Musical Instruments
Valued for its acoustic properties, especially when grown knot-free
Paper Production
Used extensively due to its fiber characteristics
Understanding the properties and applications of spruce helps in determining whether it meets the specific needs of a project. While it may not be classified as a hardwood, spruce offers an array of advantageous qualities making it a practical choice for many uses.
