White Spruce
Picea glauca · softwood · Northern North America · moderate movement
- Janka hardness 480 lbfred oak ≈ 1,290 lbf
- Density ≈ 25 lb/ft³specific gravity 0.36 at 12% MC
- Shrinkage — tangential 8.2%flatsawn width, green → ovendry
- Shrinkage — radial 4.7%quartersawn width
- T/R ratio 1.7 : 1higher = more cupping in flatsawn stock
Shop notes Everyday SPF lumber; nearly odorless and easy to work, with more movement than its pine aisle-mates.
Seasonal movement at a glance
Width change for white spruce 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″ (0.105″) | 1/16″ (0.060″) |
| 12″ | 7/32″ (0.211″) | 1/8″ (0.121″) |
| 24″ | 13/32″ (0.422″) | 1/4″ (0.242″) |
| 36″ | 5/8″ (0.633″) | 3/8″ (0.363″) |
Run your own numbers
Different width, different climate swing — the calculator below is preset to white spruce:
Typical swings:
White Spruce questions
How much does white spruce move with the seasons?
A 12″-wide flatsawn white spruce board moves about 7/32″ across a typical indoor swing from 6% to 12% moisture content; quartersawn, about 1/8″. Its tangential shrinkage is 8.2% and radial 4.7% (green to ovendry) — a moderate-movement wood.
How hard is white spruce?
White Spruce 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 25 lb/ft³ at indoor moisture levels.
Is white spruce good for wide panels and tabletops?
Yes, with normal precautions: its 1.7:1 tangential-to-radial ratio is moderate. Still fasten solid tops so they can move across their width.
Similar species
White Fir · Lodgepole Pine · Redwood · 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.