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Southern Yellow Pine Hardwood

Southern Yellow Pine Hardwood

Yellow pine hardwood can be of different types like loblolly, slash, long leaf, and shortleaf pines. The color remains the same in the types with variations in durability and hardness based on the species. 

What is Southern Yellow Pine Hardwood Flooring?

Yellow pine hardwood varies from light yellow and orange to yellowish brown or dark reddish color with the sapwood in light tan or cream color. The grain has a distinct pattern ranging from knotty to wavy. This readily available pine works well for making flooring to paper.

Durability

Janka scale is a universally accepted and easy method to determine the durability and strength of lumber. A zero rating indicates too soft wood for flooring and other purposes requiring durable lumber. A 4,000 ranking makes processing the lumber difficult as not ideal to process as per the extended flooring requirements. 

The pine durability depends on the type. Loblolly and shortleaf have a 690 Janka rating with 870 for longleaf pine. These are softer yet suitable for flooring upon proper finishing. 

Uses

This has a rustic appearance so works well for rustic décor and the low rating makes this less suited to residential use with high foot traffic amounts. Foot traffic may give it a rustic appearance but when you do not want this a durable finish takes care of the requirement. 

This retains the pattern and color of pine besides being suitable for foot traffic. Do not install this in areas with excessive moisture or standing water exposure. 

Maintenance & Care 

Wood flooring requires regular maintenance and proper care especially when the janka rating is low. You want to maintain the beauty of flooring with preventive maintenance. Keep runners and rugs in areas with high traffic and minimize the wear. 

Remove the shoes upon entering homes as heels may damage the floor with pads below the furniture’s feet as this prevents deep wood gouges. 

Take proper care of flooring based on the finish type to keep it appearing beautiful through the years. Vacuum or sweep the floors regularly for removing grit and sand scouring the finish from the floor. It is necessary to clean the spills quickly to prevent staining. 

Workability

Processing this pine is not difficult and machines well so you can install this with glue or nails easily. This contains abundant resin inside posing difficulty when sanding. Counteract this with frequent sanding paper changes and these results in successful sanding. 

Also read: Applications and Benefits of Pressure Treated Yellow Pine

Environmental issues

This tree plays a crucial role when it comes to maintaining the health of the Southern ecosystem. Earlier timber enterprises and agricultural plantations devastated the lands but with the pine plantations replacing these in the middle of the twentieth century, healing began. 

Pine helped to reestablish the ecosystem, reduce the erosion of soil, and improve the water quality. 

Yellow pine vs. White pine differences

Both white and yellow pines are affordable and common options for homes. White variety is low-density softwood with even grains. It develops vertical long cracks or the checks that do not threaten the integrity or strength of wood. 

Benefits: 

  • Lower bowing or twisting than the yellow variety

  • Affordability 

  • Impenetrable through ACQ2 treatment 

Shortcomings:

  • Expensive 

  • Does not take stain well 

  • Prone to cracks 

Yellow pine is a high-density hardwood with uneven grain and it develops checks. 

Benefits: 

  • Affordable 

  • Extra longevity 

  • Impenetrable upon ACQ2 treatment 

  • Nice strength-to-weight ratio 

Shortcomings:

  • Susceptible to twisting and bowing 

  • Non fading green tint 

  • Does not take stain well 

Both Yellow pine hardwood and white pine are similar in terms of the wood with the former being heartier and stronger but warping more than the other type. White variety is weaker and softer.

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