Special Qualities of Sitka Spruce Wood

sitka spruce The Sitka Spruce Trees of Alaska produce some of the best quality wood that can be used for a variety of different purposes.  The characteristic of the wood is what sets it apart and above the other variety of trees that are available.   Sitka Spruce Trees tend to grow on a narrow strip of land along the northern Pacific Coast from South Central Alaska and into Northern California.  These trees have also been introduced to the British Isles as well.  For the most part they exist in Alaska, California, Hawaii, Oregon, Washington, British Columbia and the Yucon.   Once you cut open the Sitka Spruce Tree you will notice that it is remarkable on the inside.  It glows with the creamy white, pink tinged sapwood and pink – brown heartwood.  The consistently straight grain is fine and even textured.   The wood is also very easy to work with when knots are not present.  It is not recommended to stain the wood; you should rather use a sanding sealer, gel stain or toner when you need to color the wood.  The Sitka Spruce is very lightweight and has moderate strength properties and is resilient to damage.  It also has great qualities when it comes to turning, planning, sanding, shaping and finishing.   Some of the most common uses for Sitka Spruce Tree wood include:   ·         Lumber ·         Furniture ·         Millwork ·         Boat Building ·         Wind Turbine Blades ·         Aircraft Components ·         And more!   For the many reasons above it is no wonder why the Sitka Spruce is one of the most important timber species in Alaska.  

5 Responses

  1. Hi, I dont think Sitka Spruce grows in Hawaii due to climate. I did an internet search and didn’t note any plantations of Sitka Spruce in Hawaii. Also, there is White and Black Spruce in the Yukon, but not Sitka Spruce.

    1. That is correct. Sitka Spruce is a specie that grows in a temperate and wet climate
      It’s range is generally within 50 miles of the Pacific Northwest coast. However the specie does grow in Coastal UK where it was planted for wind breaks.

    2. I have seen spruce in Hawaii. It is not native but was planted as a tree that could be harvested for replacing ship masts or so I was told. The islands have a wet and a dry side. They were planted on the wet side.

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