Lodgepole Pine
Pinus contorta · softwood · Western North America · moderate movement
- Janka hardness 480 lbfred oak ≈ 1,290 lbf
- Density ≈ 29 lb/ft³specific gravity 0.41 at 12% MC
- Shrinkage — tangential 6.7%flatsawn width, green → ovendry
- Shrinkage — radial 4.3%quartersawn width
- T/R ratio 1.6 : 1higher = more cupping in flatsawn stock
Shop notes Small-knot mountain pine — furniture-grade rustic stock and half the West’s stud lumber. Blue-stain boards are sound, just colorful.
Seasonal movement at a glance
Width change for lodgepole pine across a typical indoor year — 6% moisture content in the heated winter to 12% in a humid summer:
| Board width | Flatsawn | Quartersawn |
|---|---|---|
| 6″ | 3/32″ (0.086″) | 1/16″ (0.055″) |
| 12″ | 3/16″ (0.172″) | 1/8″ (0.111″) |
| 24″ | 11/32″ (0.345″) | 7/32″ (0.221″) |
| 36″ | 17/32″ (0.517″) | 11/32″ (0.332″) |
Run your own numbers
Different width, different climate swing — the calculator below is preset to lodgepole pine:
Typical swings:
Lodgepole Pine questions
How much does lodgepole pine move with the seasons?
A 12″-wide flatsawn lodgepole pine board moves about 3/16″ across a typical indoor swing from 6% to 12% moisture content; quartersawn, about 1/8″. Its tangential shrinkage is 6.7% and radial 4.3% (green to ovendry) — a moderate-movement wood.
How hard is lodgepole pine?
Lodgepole Pine rates about 480 lbf on the Janka scale — soft enough to dent in daily use (red oak is roughly 1,290 lbf). Density runs about 29 lb/ft³ at indoor moisture levels.
Is lodgepole pine good for wide panels and tabletops?
Yes, with normal precautions: its 1.6:1 tangential-to-radial ratio is unusually balanced, so panels stay flatter than most. Still fasten solid tops so they can move across their width.
Similar species
White Fir · Redwood · White Spruce · Incense-Cedar · Grand Fir · Red Spruce
Shrinkage, specific gravity, and hardness from the Wood Handbook, FPL-GTR-282 (2021 edition), USDA Forest Products Laboratory (public domain). Values are species averages — individual boards vary with growth conditions and how they were dried.