Sitka Spruce Is Used for a Variety of Items

Alaska Specialty Woods is known for guitars and other instruments utilizing the finest Sitka spruce instrument tonewood material. Indeed, over 50,000 guitar tops worth of Sitka spruce and other fine specialty woods exist, with their beautiful designs and superb sounds.

Sitka spruce has had many uses over the centuries besides providing the wood for various instrument soundboards.

Long ago, Sitka spruce essential oils from the leaves and branches were used to brew spruce beer. Indeed, Captain Cook was said to have made alcoholic sugar-based spruce beer for his sailors in order to prevent scurvy during long voyages. Even now, the fresh shoots from Sitka spruce remain a natural source of Vitamin C. The tips from the tree’s needles can be found in certain syrups and teas.

Spruce resin, or pitch, has had a number of uses, including caulking and waterproofing boats, harpoons and fishing gear. The resin has also been used to soothe and heal burns, boils and other skin problems.

Perhaps you’ve seen a Sitka spruce Christmas tree or two? Sitka spruce can also be used for ornamental purposes, as they’re a good looking tree.

In nature, Sitka spruce typically form a canopy to protect birds and animals from wind, rain and extreme temperatures. You’re likely to encounter deer, foxes, hawks and smaller birds such as the Tree Creeper and Siskin living and feeding around Sitka spruce trees.

The wood from Sitka spruce is versatile and easy to work with, such that it’s often used for construction purposes. You’ll typically find pallets and packing boxes made from it.

Finally, though we often don’t think much about where paper comes from, know this: Sitka spruce can be used for paper making. Smaller spruce tree’s white color and long cellulose fibers help create strong and smooth papers.

Alaska Specialty Woods sources Sitka spruce tonewood direct from the Alaskan forest. The tonewood for soundboards is made available through sustainable forestry and responsible wood use.