Redwood, European

Introduction

"Scots pine" and "European redwood" are the trade names generally used in the UK to differentiate between homegrown and imported Pinus sylvestris. See 'Scots pine' for details and Mechanical Properties data of UK-grown material.

Environmental

Not listed in CITES. Believed available from well-managed sources. Check certification status with suppliers.

Distribution

Widely distributed in Europe and northern Asia. It is found in the mountains of Spain and in the UK, especially in Scotland, at its westerly limits, in the north-west of Norway in a northerly direction, spreading east through northern Europe into Asia, and reaching the Verkhoyansk Range, while its extreme southerly point is in Spain, in the Sierra Nevada in Andalusia. It is found in the Maritime Alps in France, and in the eastern Pyrenees, and in the Caucasus and Transylvanian Alps. It is the only true pine indigenous to the British Isles, being native to Scotland and just over the border; elsewhere in the UK the forests are generally the result of planting.

The tree

The tree is generally 30m high with a diameter of about 1m but larger trees may be found on favourable sites.

The timber

The sapwood is creamy-white to yellow in colour, narrow, especially in northern environments, becoming wider in the southern areas, and the heartwood is pale yellowish-brown to reddish-brown, resinous, and usually distinct from the sapwood. The growth rings are clearly marked by the denser late-wood. The quality of the timber is affected by the conditions of growth, climate, soil, elevation, etc, more than most timbers because of its wide and varying distribution, and these factors affect the texture, density, size and number of knots. The weight of dried timber is about 510 kg/m³.

Drying

The timber dries rapidly, and without undue degrade, but owing to its tendency to develop sap stain, it should either be anti-stain dipped, or dried quickly after conversion.

Strength

For its weight, the timber is strong and moderately hard, although UK plantation-grown timber is generally slightly softer and weaker than that from other sources.

Working qualities

Medium - In general, the timber works easily and well with both hand and machine tools, but ease of working and quality of finish is dependent upon the size, and number of knots, and degree of resin present. The wood is capable of a smooth, clean finish, and can be glued, stained, varnished and painted satisfactorily, and takes nails and screws well.