Radiata Pine (Monterey Pine)
Pinus radiata • Softwood
Grain Pattern
Straight grain with distinct, medium-to-wide growth rings. Typical flat-sawn appearance showing a mix of earlywood and latewood bands with minimal figure.
Color Description
Heartwood is typically light brown to yellowish; sapwood is pale yellow to nearly white. The sample shows a transition between sapwood and heartwood. It tends to darken or yellow significantly with age and UV exposure.
Hardness Rating
710 lbf (Soft)
Durability Rating
Non-durable; very low resistance to decay and highly susceptible to insect attack without pressure treatment.
Common Uses
General construction, interior trim, shelving, finger-jointed moldings, inexpensive furniture, plywood, and paper pulp.
Geographic Origin
Native to a small area of coastal California; widely grown in plantations in New Zealand, Australia, Chile, and South Africa.
Market Value & Sustainability
Estimated Market Value
$2.00 - $4.00 per board foot
Wood Age Estimate
Modern lumber; likely harvested within the last 10-20 years based on the clean surfacing and lack of deep oxidation or patina.
Sustainability Status
Not CITES listed and categorized as Least Concern by the IUCN; extensively available as FSC-certified plantation-grown timber.
Workability
Very easy to work with both hand and machine tools. Glues and finishes well, though it can be prone to resin bleed and uneven staining (blotching) without a sealer.
Notable Features
Faint resinous odor when freshly cut; lightweight with a relatively uniform texture; contains resin canals that may occasionally seep.
Finish Recommendations
Seal with a pre-stain conditioner if staining; otherwise, water-based or oil-based polyurethanes work well to protect the soft surface from indentations.
Identification Confidence
Medium-High; the growth ring spacing, color transition, and clear lack of knots suggest a common plantation softwood like Radiata or a similar wide-ringed Southern Yellow Pine.