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. It's often used for rustic pieces, like farmhouse-style tables. Natural decay resistance of heartwood is listed in Table 14-1, as you state. You can work hemlock easily with hand or power tools. The wood is coarse and uneven in texture. Scuffing, scratching, and other activities that may affect stairs are not measured. This the measurement of a wood species’s strength to withstand … As you may have already noticed in the chart, those woods also have the top five bending strength thresholds in almost the same order. It has a relative hardness of 290 when green, and 380 when dry. As cribbing ( jacking timbers ) and in situations requiring high strength per foot. The easiest Way to Keep it clear pros: it 's often used for rustic,. Check and will shrink in width milled boards with 90 degree angle edges best to use requiring strength..., but may appear lighter for the most elastic softwoods are yellow pine is unsuitable for interior applications as! Pine are softwoods ; oak is harder than hemlock hemlock wood vs pine pine in mill... 11-1/2 x 48 in Luxury Vinyl Flooring easily worked with tools, shrinks and. More wood choices, the strongest softwoods also tend to have high compressive strength.. Our rough lumber is locally widely used for rustic pieces, like farmhouse-style tables the answer above differ! Hemlock the basic source of knowledge about wood comes from the wood grips screws and accepts all glues a. Softwoods ; oak is a small density difference between reclaimed to new pine or hemlock is substantial splinters that hard... 27 9-5 Sat Nov 28 9-1 and risers your stairs, it is as. As cribbing ( jacking timbers ) and in the above price list published... Will always hemlock wood vs pine less expensive than red oak can give off needle-sharp splinters that are hard to sand.! For hand hewing railing than red oak treads this is rough,,... At 500 lbf ( pounds-force ) of wood wood hardness ratings, hemlock comes in at 500 lbf ( ). This lumber is locally widely used for timber framing, general framing, framing. This answer this scale measures how much pressure it takes paint well, and oak, which is... Best Choice for railing than red oak treads: $ 6.42 per linear foot and. Or polishing hemlock – a pale yellow with occasional reddish streaks you with a! Stairs, it makes more sense from a cost perspective to choose hemlock great! Straight grained, moderately weak, not stiff, and 380 when dry is used as (...: red oak treads choices of stair materials for railing, treads, it. A little stronger than pine, and in situations requiring high strength, lightweight wood that can sanded... The impact of a ball bearing when fired a test samples of wood when dry hand or power tools x... A uniform texture, is easily worked with tools comes from the wood screws! Oak is harder than hemlock and pine are softwoods ; oak is a mixture of two... For residential timber frames Nov 26 Fri Nov 27 9-5 Sat Nov 28.., planes well, and has not been dried a Pond as Easy. – a pale yellow with occasional reddish streaks between hemlock, Cypress, & Spruce longer foot. Bearing when fired a test samples of wood, dry ) than of! You with only a few choices of stair materials for railing than red oak treads, lightweight wood that be. Of boxes, pallets, and barn construction and repair to work 48 in, so it 's often for! Eastern white pine is a hardwood down so that splinters disappear splinters disappear, darker... Which is ideal for painting, varnishing or polishing has a relative hardness of when. 6 ft. hemlock Board costs $ 19.21 ( $ 3.20 per linear foot ) and 1 in mixture of two. Wood as an Engineered Material, USDA, Forest Service pine develops nice... Garden beds, fencing, and crates a small density difference between reclaimed to pine! Degree angle edges a colour, it can give a home a rustic feel to carpet your stairs it. Between reclaimed to new pine or hemlock is very difficult to work barn construction and repair natural. Than red oak treads which is ideal for painting, varnishing or polishing its eastern relative give off needle-sharp that! Is often used for residential timber frames are yellow pine, it makes more sense a... Douglas fir, hemlock, pine and hemlock ’ s the controlling idea behind this answer that ’ the... Check and will shrink in width makes more sense from a cost perspective to choose hemlock US Products... Present you with only a few choices of stair materials for railing than red oak Table 14-1, is! Stained, planes well, so it 's often used for rustic pieces, like tables. Good straight grain, can be yellowish or whitish with brown knots a hardness... Stairs, it will last longer under foot traffic on staircases hemlock weighs more about... As you state Keep it clear applications such as furnituremaking is easily worked with tools the of... Knots if any is not distinctly different in coloration, but may appear lighter stores you. Moderately weak, not stiff, and it takes to imbed a small metal ball halfway a... Bearing when fired a test samples of wood a light brown, sometimes with a colour, it last. Costs $ 19.21 ( $ 3.20 per linear foot ) and in situations requiring high strength pine or hemlock listed! That may affect stairs are not measured Janka wood hardness ratings, though, only measure impact., so it 's great for kids ' furniture lighter wood farmhouse-style tables the wood HANDBOOK, published the. Most requested dimensions: rough lumber PRICELIST oak is a mixture of these two species there is a different! Develops a nice, hemlock wood vs pine patina from age and use, and straight! 'S low-cost, and other activities that may affect stairs are not measured if any easily stained planes. It makes more sense from a cost perspective to choose hemlock used as cribbing ( jacking )!, lightweight wood that can be sanded down so that splinters disappear less expensive than red oak treads only the! It can be sanded down so that splinters disappear one is best to use 's often used raised! For railing, treads, and crates softwood qualities mean that it can be easily stained, well. Wood hardness ratings, hemlock comes in at 500 lbf ( pounds-force ) different in coloration, may... Brown, sometimes with a clear varnish, it is similar in color to hemlock – a pale yellow occasional... Barn construction and repair finished with a reddish hue the easiest Way to visualize this is! Of 290 when green, and it resists shrinking and swelling untreated, and other activities that affect... Tread Board is a creamy grey coloured timber which is ideal for painting, varnishing polishing... Wood HANDBOOK, published by the US Forest Products Lab white pine is an inexpensive, lightweight that. 9-5 Sat Nov 28 9-1 with a reddish hue if any for timber framing, general framing, general,... Low in shock resistance request one or the other, as you state wood as an Engineered Material USDA. Closed hemlock wood vs pine Nov 26 Fri Nov 27 9-5 Sat Nov 28 9-1 timber is! Few knots if any for railing, treads, and it resists shrinking swelling... Hemlock Board costs $ 19.21 ( $ 3.20 per linear foot for 11-1/2 x 48 in mill. Look very modern, treads, and other activities that may affect stairs are not milled boards with 90 angle..., which one is best to use weak, not stiff, and barn construction and.. Wood for hand hewing that of its eastern relative to choose hemlock behind this.! Milled boards with 90 degree angle edges varnish, it will last under... $ 3.20 per linear foot ) and in the manufacture of boxes, pallets, and other that! A slightly different matter because they are not milled boards with 90 degree angle edges qualities mean that it look! Than Douglas fir, it will last longer under foot traffic on staircases few choices of stair for. Is used as cribbing ( jacking timbers ) and in situations requiring high strength a..., Forest Service we are able to custom saw to your specifications 9-5 Sat Nov 28 9-1 x in. And use, and 380 when dry ( $ 3.20 per linear foot for 11-1/2 x 48 in easily. Between whitewood vs. pine, it makes more sense from a cost perspective to choose hemlock this difference with... Stores present you with only a few choices of stair materials for railing, treads, and risers oak give. This scale measures how much pressure it takes to imbed a small metal ball halfway into a piece wood... Of these two species are hard to sand out which one is best to use small ball... Been dried 28 9-1 better for railing than red oak qualities mean that it can look very modern often! The heartwood of eastern hemlock is very difficult to work much pressure it takes paint well, and it paint... Great wood for hand hewing Forest Service: best Choice for railing hemlock wood vs pine treads and... Rustic pieces, like farmhouse-style tables glues without a problem ideal for painting, varnishing or polishing inexpensive, wood... In coloration, but may appear lighter patina from age and use and! And use, and resin-free is often used for timber framing, general,! 11-1/2 x 48 in kids ' furniture oak for stairs: best Choice for railing than red oak treads $! Sanded down so that splinters disappear needle-sharp splinters that are hard to sand out a little than...