American softwoods are grown in the western, southeastern and northeastern states of the United States. Renowned for their strength, flexibility, versatility and beauty, they have been exported for almost 200 years.

Harvested from sustainably managed forests in the USA, the success of forest management and conservation in the USA means that the area of forested land is now greater than it was 75 years ago. Today, the forests occupy an area equal in size to Germany and France combined and more than 4.5 million trees are planted or seeded naturally every day.

America is recognized worldwide as a sustainable source of top quality timber. This popularity is based on:

• Standardization of sizes and stress ratings

• Quality control through the enforcement of a single unified grading system

• Strength and durability

• Suitability for preservative and fireretardant treatments

• Construction standardization and systemization.

The simple cell structure of softwoods' long, uniformly packed fibres gives them a high strength-to-weight ratio, making them flexible and capable of bearing heavy loads. American softwoods have the strength to sustain longer spans for trusses and joists, as well as the clear, fine-grained timber that is in demand for joinery applications, such as panelling, door frames, windows, flooring and furniture.

Application

The diverse and wide-ranging applications of American Softwoods fall into three main categories: Joinery, Structural and Outdoors.

Joinery

The quality grains and textures of American softwoods have long proved popular for many internal uses. Finished naturally, stained or painted, they will enhance the interior of both traditional and modern homes.

American softwoods are also growing in demand for furniture manufacture but are ideal for:

• Bed frames

• Cabinetry

• Fenestration

• Flooring

• Moulding

• Panelling

• Staircases

Structural

Structural timber is graded for its load-bearing and load-carrying capacity in framing systems and in heavy construction, light commercial and residential applications. The dominant American structural framing species are Douglas Fir and Southern Yellow Pine.

Typical structural construction applications include:

• Churches

• Retail developments

• Schools

• Sports venues

• Swimming pools

• Theatres

Outdoors

When pressure preservative treated, timber can provide decades of reliable service exposed to the harshest of climates. Southern Yellow Pine is the preferred species when pressure treatment with wood preservatives is required. The unique cellular structure of Southern Yellow Pine permits deep and uniform penetration of preservatives, rendering the wood useless as a food source for fungi, termites and micro-organisms.

Common outdoors applications for preservative treated timber include:

• Boardwalks

• Bridges

• Cladding

• Decks

• Marinas and piers

• Playground equipment

American softwood timber is marketed by members of the Southern Forest Products Association (SFPA) and the Softwood Export Council (SEC), known jointly as American Softwoods. The various species of softwoods from southern and western America provide a wide range of choices, including industrial, commercial, structural and domestic applications. Much of the U.S. softwood exported is for interior applications, such as doors, windows, picture frames, mouldings, flooring, panelling, and other millwork - a prime destination for Southern Yellow Pine, Eastern white pine and fir species. Further, furniture components and edge-glued panels are also key uses for softwood lumber whilst western species, such as Douglas fir and hemlock in clear grades, are prized for wood window and door stock as well as for window frames.

© Timber Design & Technology 2013