About New Zealand Pine (Pinus Radiata)
New Zealand Pine (Pinus Radiata) originally a native of California, excels in Southern New Zealand soils and climatic conditions. New Zealand Pine yields a strong, economical and versatile light coloured timber. Tall, clear trunks produce timber highly suited for furniture and all forms of show wood applications.
New Zealand Pine is:
- Natural
- Strong
- Versatile
- Sustainable
- Adaptable
Supply
(Wood Availability Forecast)
New Zealand is fortunate to have a growing volume of plantation forest estate available for harvest (as indicated in the graph below).
Kiln Drying
The moisture content is critical for any wood species used for the manufacture of high quality furniture products.
Craigpine has invested heavily in advanced and modern kiln drying facilities at our Winton sawmill. These kilns which are ideally suited for the drying of furniture grades gives us an annual drying capacity of 115,000m3 per annum. We use the latest kiln drying computer programmes as well as a number of stringent quality checks.
Craigpine as a "NZ Dri Licencee" prides itself on producing high quality stress free and consistently dried New Zealand Pine.
New Zealand Pine Performance
The availability of New Zealand Pine as a sustainable and renewable resource makes it an attractive and acceptable alternative to timber species from the world's dwindling natural forests.
Staining
New Zealand Pine is an extremely versatile wood and and readily accepts the many stains that are available. Unique to southern New Zealand our consistent light coloured wood allows it to be stained to look like other species, with colour matching being particularly effective.
Machining
The superior machining properties of New Zealand Pine are a result of it's even texture and relatively small difference in density between early wood and late wood. Ease of moulding, turning and planning are strong features.
A Comparative Study of New Zealand Radiata Pine and Selected Asian Species
| Species | Turning | Dimension Stability | Cross cutting | Shaping and Sanding | Gluing | Planing & Moulding |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NZ Pine | 4.1 | 4.2 | 3.8 | 4.2 | 4 | 4.8 |
| Ramin | 4.3 | 3.5 | 2.9 | 4.5 | 3.5 | 4.5 |
| Jelutong | 4.3 | 4 | 4.1 | 4.5 | 2.5 | 4.8 |
| Nyatoh | 3.4 | 4.1 | 2.5 | 4.2 | 3.6 | 4.7 |
| Merkus Pine | Na | 4 | 4 | 4.2 | 4.5 | 4.5 |
| White Seraya | 3.8 | 4.4 | 2.2 | 3.5 | 3.2 | 4.4 |
| Rubberwood | 4.2 | 4.2 | 3.1 | 4.1 | 4.2 | 4 |
Key: 1 - very poor, 2 - poor, 3 - fair, 4 - good, 5 - excellent
Furniture and components
New Zealand Pine has extremely good gluing properties, excellent dimensional stability, and accepts stains and clear finishes evenly. It is ideal for high wear uses such as furniture, components and cabinetry.
New Zealand Pine Properties
The following is a table containing some basic measurements of the properties of New Zealand Pine:
| Species | Modulus of Rapture (MPA) | Modulus of Elasticity (MPA) | Basic Density (kg/m3) | Newtons (side hardness) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Zealand Pine | 40 - 60 | 8000-9500 | 450-500 | 3500-4000 |
Preservation
New Zealand Pine has unique properties among softwood species, in that total treatment of sapwood is always achievable. Various levels of treatment are available for outdoor applications. For further information please contact us.