The Spruce Family
Black Spruce
| Scientific Name: | Picea mariana |
| Location: | Northern North America |
| Dried Weight: | 28lbs/ft3 |
| Janka Hardness: | 520lbf |
| Crushing Strength: | 5,410lbf /in2 |
Black Spruce has a creamy white, with a hint of yellow, color. The grain is straight and it has a fine even texture. The wood is rated as durable to non-durable in regards to decay. It is easy to work with and glues and finishes well. It can give poor results when staining. A sanding sealer, gel stain, or toner is recommended when colouring the wood.
Engelmann Spruce
| Scientific Name: | Picea engelmannii |
| Location: | Western North America |
| Dried Weight: | 24lbs/ft3 |
| Janka Hardness: | 390lbf |
| Crushing Strength: | 4,560lbf /in2 |
Engelmann Spruce has a cream to almost white color, occasionally with a hint of red. The grain is straight and it has a fine even texture. The wood is rated as durable to non-durable in regards to decay. It is easy to work with and glues and finishes well. It can give poor results when staining. A sanding sealer, gel stain, or toner is recommended when colouring the wood.
Norway Spruce
| Scientific Name: | Picea abies |
| Location: | Northern and Central Europe |
| Dried Weight: | 25lbs/ft3 |
| Janka Hardness: | 377lbf |
| Crushing Strength: | 5,150lbf /in2 |
Norway Spruce has a creamy white color, with a hint of yellow or red. The grain is straight and it has a fine even texture. The wood is rated as durable to non-durable in regards to decay. It is easy to work with and glues and finishes well. It can give poor results when staining. A sanding sealer, gel stain, or toner is recommended when colouring the wood.
Red Spruce
| Scientific Name: | Picea rubens |
| Location: | Eastern North America |
| Dried Weight: | 27lbs/ft3 |
| Janka Hardness: | 490lbf |
| Crushing Strength: | 4,870lbf /in2 |
Red Spruce has a creamy white color, with a hint of yellow or red. The grain is straight and it has a fine even texture. The wood is rated as durable to non-durable in regards to decay. It is easy to work with and glues and finishes well. It can give poor results when staining. A sanding sealer, gel stain, or toner is recommended when colouring the wood.
Sitka Spruce
| Scientific Name: | Picea sitchensis |
| Location: | Northwestern North America |
| Dried Weight: | 27lbs/ft3 |
| Janka Hardness: | 510lbf |
| Crushing Strength: | 5,550lbf /in2 |
Sitka Spruce has a creamy white color, sometimes with a subtle pinkish hue. The grain is straight and it has a fine even texture. It has medium sized resin canals present in the wood. The wood is rated as durable to non-durable in regards to decay. It is easy to work with and glues and finishes well. It can give poor results when staining. A sanding sealer, gel stain, or toner is recommended when colouring the wood.
White Spruce
| Scientific Name: | Picea glauca |
| Location: | Northern North America |
| Dried Weight: | 27lbs/ft3 |
| Janka Hardness: | 480lbf |
| Crushing Strength: | 4,730lbf /in2 |
White Spruce has a creamy white color, with a hint of yellow. The grain is straight and it has a fine even texture. The wood is rated as durable to non-durable in regards to decay. It is easy to work with and glues and finishes well. It can give poor results when staining. A sanding sealer, gel stain, or toner is recommended when colouring the wood.