Janka ratings, though, only measure the impact of a ball bearing when fired a test samples of wood. Pine is not as strong as hemlock or fir, so it is not a good wood when long spans are required or when smaller … Carpeting will protect the stair treads from most traffic wear. Camo Deck Fastening System: Easy Way to Install Cheap Decking, Stair Treads (Carpeted): Pine or hemlock, Risers: Any kind of wood of the right size. Because oak is harder than hemlock and pine, it will last longer under foot traffic on staircases. The easiest way to visualize this difference is with the Janka scale. The sapwood is not distinctly different in coloration, but may appear lighter. Choose for Me: Laminate or Luxury Vinyl Flooring? That’s the controlling idea behind this answer. The wood actually dries out pretty quick and it's not as sappy and messy as a pine tree making the wood nicer to handle because your hands are not covered in sap after a day of cutting. General information about hemlock and red oak. Hemlock is locally widely used for raised garden beds, fencing, and barn construction and repair. People often request one or the other, as is their preference. There is a small density difference between whitewood vs. yellow pine. It is light weight, moderately soft, moderately weak, not stiff, and low in shock resistance. Durability: Hemlock and pine are softwoods; oak is a hardwood. The heartwood of eastern hemlock is pale brown with a reddish hue. It is considered to be moderately stiff, moderately low in strength, and moderately hard, with a relative hardness rating of 500 when dry, or 400 when green. In terms of actual stiffness ratings, the most elastic softwoods are yellow pine, Douglas fir, Hemlock, Cypress, & Spruce. A little stronger than Pine, Hemlock is a creamy grey coloured timber which is ideal for painting, varnishing or polishing. It has a uniform texture, is easily worked with tools, shrinks little and is straight grained. Hemlock is used for raised garden beds. Please call or email us for details. We saw locally harvested Eastern Hemlock and Pine in our mill. Between hemlock, pine, and oak, which one is best to use? It is used as cribbing (jacking timbers) and in situations requiring high strength. We will primarily be discussing Douglas fir vs. yellow pine, as it is one of the most commonly available and popular wood types with woodworkers. Mahogany (Sapele) Mahogany (Sapele) is a very strong and durable Hardwood, red/brown in colour, Mahogany (Sapele) is often used when a darker finish is required. This scale measures how much pressure it takes to imbed a small metal ball halfway into a piece of wood. Once dry, hemlock is very difficult to work. Splintering: Red oak can give off needle-sharp splinters that are hard to sand out. Pros: It's low-cost, and it takes paint well, so it's great for kids' furniture. The wood of western hemlock weighs more (about 29 pounds per cubic foot, dry) than that of its eastern relative. It is much stronger and harder than pine. Our rough lumber is a mixture of these two species. Because it is less expensive than Douglas fir, it is often used for residential timber frames. On a pure board-lumber cost basis: 1 in. It's often used for rustic pieces, like farmhouse-style tables. Based on Janka wood hardness ratings, hemlock comes in at 500 lbf (pounds-force). As the popularity of home saunas has increased, many manufacturers have opted to use cheaper woods such as poplar, hemlock and pine, in order to keep production costs down. Pine develops a nice, rustic patina from age and use, and it resists shrinking and swelling. Wood Handbook: Wood As an Engineered Material. Hemlock is listed as little or no natural decay resistance. Comparing softwood stair parts: Hemlock vs pine Pine is a popular choice for stair parts as it’s easy to work with, sand and finish. (Sapwood seldom has any decay resistance.) We describe Hemlock as, basically, pine with very few Knots if any. Decay Resistance--Hemlock The basic source of knowledge about wood comes from the WOOD HANDBOOK, published by the US Forest Products Lab. Tread board is a slightly different matter because they are not milled boards with 90 degree angle edges. The hardness and strength factors will differ a bit if you are considering Douglas fir vs. eastern white pine or Ponderosa pine vs. Douglas fir. This makes them better for railing than red oak. Hemlock is locally widely used for raised garden beds, fencing, and barn construction and repair. Wood Handbook: Wood As an Engineered Material, USDA, Forest Service. That’s the controlling idea behind this answer. In crosscutting, however, expect some tearout. The difference between reclaimed to new Pine or Hemlock is substantial. This lumber is locally grown and sawn, is untreated, and has not been dried. x 6 ft. Hemlock Board costs $19.21 ($3.20 per linear foot) and 1 in. See the blog “What’s the big deal with reclaimed?” to find out how original Canadian forest wood is a lot different from new wood you see at the lumber store. Green hemlock is very heavy but is easily worked with tools. Hemlock, Pine, or Oak for Stairs: Best Choice for Railing, Treads, and Risers? (Sapwood seldom has any decay resistance.) We are able to custom saw to your specifications. As it dries, this lumber will check and will shrink in width. When it comes to whitewood vs. pine, whitewood is going to be the slightly lighter wood. Both types of pine you would find on the consumer market, Eastern and Western White Pine, are softer than hemlock, both in the 380 to 420 lbf range. If you want to carpet your stairs, it makes more sense from a cost perspective to choose hemlock. Although the US Forestry Service, as stated above, doesn’t see Eastern Hemlock as a particularly strong or rot resistant, it is the local “go to” wood for a number of uses. Decay Resistance--Hemlock The basic source of knowledge about wood comes from the WOOD HANDBOOK, published by the US Forest Products Lab. Pine treads will always be less expensive than red oak treads. The most commonly requested dimensions are priced in the above price list. Because of this cost difference, you should use red oak only if you want them to stay bare (or a protective coating like polyurethane). Pine is a very stable wood. It has medium strength values and takes fasteners well. There is no guarantee as to how long the wood will last in the ground, but in the right conditions, some people report that it lasts 5 to 7 years. This is rough, unseasoned, untreated green lumber. Home improvement stores present you with only a few choices of stair materials for railing, treads, and risers. 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