Wood question. SPF?

[PaulT]

Okay, I'm a little confused. In the big box stores I see a white wood, fairly clear and also fairly light. Looks a lot like spruce. It's marked and sold as "SPF" which I understand stands for Spruce, Pine, Fir.
Sooooo, what is it? A hybrid which has been grafted to eventually be plantation grown? Or am I missing something? And is it usable for boat building?

Thanks:
Paul T

[Mrleft8]

SPF is either Spruce, Pine or Fir.... AKA "Softwood" It might also be something else if the supplier is of questionable character.....

[Hughman]

And is it usable for boat building?

Thanks:
Paul T

well, it's useful for scaffolding....

[Bob Smalser]

Spruce-Pine-Fir None is a rot resistant wood.




This species combination, classed as moderately strong, is cross-continental in origin. Because of similar design values, the combination includes Engelmann and Sitka spruces and Lodgepole Pine from the West, along with Balsam Fir, Jack Pine, Red Pine and several eastern spruces from the U.S. Northeast. SPF-S grademarked products may originate from either region and be graded either by or according to grading rules published by WWPA, the West Coast Lumber Inspection Bureau (WCLIB), or the Northeastern Lumber Manufacturers' Association (NELMA).

SPF-S design values make it appropriate for general framing applications. In the higher, structural light framing grades, dimension products are appropriate for light trusses and other engineered applications. In MSR lumber, SPF-S lumber is interchangeable with Canadian SPF lumber because Western mills conduct mandatory quality control on the specific gravity of SPF-S.

The alternate (Western only) species combination of Engelmann Spruce and Lodgepole Pine (ES-LP) is well suited for truss design and other engineered applications. Additional information on ES-LP for truss design is detailed in WWPA's Tech Note No. 3 available from the Association's Technical Services Division.

Engelmann and Sitka spruces are nearly white in color with a distinctive, slightly pinkish-grey tone. Relatively small, uniformly distributed knots add to the appeal of the medium to fine texture and straight grain.

Lodgepole Pine has relatively straight grain, white to yellow sapwood with light, reddish-brown heartwood. Knots do not bleed through paint. It is used for interior paneling, joinery, structural timber and poles. When creating interiors or rustic designs with Western pines, remember that while Lodgepole resembles other Western pines in appearance, it is the strongest of the Western pines. This makes LP additionally useful for selected structural elements when a "pine aesthetic" is desirable.

[PaulT]

Thank you for the comments. Mr Smalser, I appreciate the technical data. That's what I was hoping to find.

Sincerely:
Paul T