Sugar Pine
Pinus lambertiana · softwood · Western US · low movement
- Janka hardness 380 lbfred oak ≈ 1,290 lbf
- Density ≈ 25 lb/ft³specific gravity 0.36 at 12% MC
- Shrinkage — tangential 5.6%flatsawn width, green → ovendry
- Shrinkage — radial 2.9%quartersawn width
- T/R ratio 1.9 : 1higher = more cupping in flatsawn stock
Shop notes The pattern-maker’s pine — huge clear boards, buttery texture, minimal movement. Resin flecks are the only tell.
Seasonal movement at a glance
Width change for sugar pine across a typical indoor year — 6% moisture content in the heated winter to 12% in a humid summer:
| Board width | Flatsawn | Quartersawn |
|---|---|---|
| 6″ | 1/16″ (0.072″) | 1/32″ (0.037″) |
| 12″ | 5/32″ (0.144″) | 1/16″ (0.075″) |
| 24″ | 9/32″ (0.288″) | 5/32″ (0.149″) |
| 36″ | 7/16″ (0.432″) | 7/32″ (0.224″) |
Run your own numbers
Different width, different climate swing — the calculator below is preset to sugar pine:
Typical swings:
Sugar Pine questions
How much does sugar pine move with the seasons?
A 12″-wide flatsawn sugar pine board moves about 5/32″ across a typical indoor swing from 6% to 12% moisture content; quartersawn, about 1/16″. Its tangential shrinkage is 5.6% and radial 2.9% (green to ovendry) — a low-movement wood.
How hard is sugar pine?
Sugar Pine rates about 380 lbf on the Janka scale — soft enough to dent in daily use (red oak is roughly 1,290 lbf). Density runs about 25 lb/ft³ at indoor moisture levels.
Is sugar pine good for wide panels and tabletops?
Yes, with normal precautions: its 1.9:1 tangential-to-radial ratio is moderate. Still fasten solid tops so they can move across their width.
Similar species
Eastern White Pine · Engelmann Spruce · Balsam Fir · Atlantic White-Cedar · Western Redcedar · Noble 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.