Ponderosa Pine
Pinus ponderosa · softwood · Western North America · moderate movement
- Janka hardness 460 lbfred oak ≈ 1,290 lbf
- Density ≈ 28 lb/ft³specific gravity 0.4 at 12% MC
- Shrinkage — tangential 6.2%flatsawn width, green → ovendry
- Shrinkage — radial 3.9%quartersawn width
- T/R ratio 1.6 : 1higher = more cupping in flatsawn stock
Shop notes The knotty-pine paneling pine. Even texture, low spread between faces; pitch pockets are the main nuisance.
Seasonal movement at a glance
Width change for ponderosa pine across a typical indoor year — 6% moisture content in the heated winter to 12% in a humid summer:
| Board width | Flatsawn | Quartersawn |
|---|---|---|
| 6″ | 3/32″ (0.080″) | 1/16″ (0.050″) |
| 12″ | 5/32″ (0.159″) | 3/32″ (0.100″) |
| 24″ | 5/16″ (0.319″) | 3/16″ (0.201″) |
| 36″ | 15/32″ (0.478″) | 5/16″ (0.301″) |
Run your own numbers
Different width, different climate swing — the calculator below is preset to ponderosa pine:
Typical swings:
Ponderosa Pine questions
How much does ponderosa pine move with the seasons?
A 12″-wide flatsawn ponderosa pine board moves about 5/32″ across a typical indoor swing from 6% to 12% moisture content; quartersawn, about 3/32″. Its tangential shrinkage is 6.2% and radial 3.9% (green to ovendry) — a moderate-movement wood.
How hard is ponderosa pine?
Ponderosa Pine rates about 460 lbf on the Janka scale — soft enough to dent in daily use (red oak is roughly 1,290 lbf). Density runs about 28 lb/ft³ at indoor moisture levels.
Is ponderosa pine good for wide panels and tabletops?
Yes, with normal precautions: its 1.6:1 tangential-to-radial ratio is unusually balanced, so panels stay flatter than most. Still fasten solid tops so they can move across their width.
Similar species
Incense-Cedar · White Fir · Lodgepole Pine · Redwood · White Spruce · Grand Fir
Shrinkage, specific gravity, and hardness from the Wood Handbook, FPL-GTR-282 (2021 edition), USDA Forest Products Laboratory (public domain). Values are species averages — individual boards vary with growth conditions and how they were dried.