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Spruce

A spruce is a tree of the genus Picea, a genus of about 35 species of coniferous evergreen trees in the Family Pinaceae, found in the northern temperate and boreal (taiga) regions of the earth. Spruces are large trees, from 20–60 metres (66–197 ft) tall when mature, and can be distinguished by their whorled branches and conical form. The needles, or leaves, of spruce trees are attached singly to the branches in a spiral fashion, each needle on a small peg-like structure called a pulvinus. The needles are shed when 4–10 years old, leaving the branches rough with the retained pulvinus (an easy means of distinguishing them from other similar genera, where the branches are fairly smooth).

In the mountains of western Sweden scientists have found a Norway Spruce tree, nicknamed Old Tjikko, which by reproducing through layering has reached an age of 9,550 years and is claimed to be the world's oldest known living tree.

Timber
Spruce is useful as a building wood, commonly referred to by several different names including North American timber, SPF (spruce, pine, fir) and whitewood. Spruce wood is used for many purposes, ranging from general construction work and crates to highly specialised uses in wooden aircraft, and as a tonewood in many musical instruments, including guitars, mandolins, cellos, violins, and the soundboard at the heart of a piano and the harp. The Wright brothers' first aircraft, the Flyer, was built of spruce.

Because this species has no insect or decay resistance qualities after logging, it is generally recommended for construction purposes as indoor use only (ex. indoor drywall framing). Spruce wood, when left outside cannot be expected to last more than 12–18 months depending on the type of climate it is exposed to.

Pulpwood
Spruce is one of the most important woods for paper uses, as it has long wood fibres which bind together to make strong paper. The fibres are thin walled and collapse to thin bands upon drying. Spruces are commonly used in mechanical pulping as they are easily bleached. Together with northern pines, northern spruces are commonly used to make NBSK. Spruces are cultivated over vast areas as pulpwood.

Food and medicine
Spruce (Picea mariana) essential oil in a clear glass vial.

The fresh shoots of many spruces and pines are a natural source of vitamin C. Captain Cook made alcoholic sugar-based spruce beer during his sea voyages in order to prevent scurvy in his crew. The leaves and branches, or the essential oils, can be used to brew spruce beer.

The tips from the needles can be used to make spruce tip syrup. In survival situations spruce needles can be directly ingested or boiled into a tea. This replaces large amounts of vitamin C. Also, water is stored in a spruce's needles, providing an alternative means of hydration. Spruce can be used as a preventive measure for scurvy in an environment where meat is the only prominent food source.

Product details

Qualities:

Quality A: Furniture

Quality B: Windows and doors

Quality C: Construction Timber

Quality D: low quality and no strength requirements

Sterkteklassen:

C16-C18-C22-C24-C28.

Dimensions:
Standaard handelsafmetingen Scandinavisch Vuren

Types:

Kiln-drying / heat treatment, Planing / chamfering / levelling, Impregnating, Long lengths (finger jointed), laminted, primed.

Models:
Rabat, vloerdelen, bevelsidings etc.

Colors:
whitish yellow

Taric code:
440320199

Weight:
Dried: Approx. 400 kg/m3 freshly sawn Approx. 850 kg/m3.

Certificates:
 PEFC and FSC®

Country of origin:
Sweden, Norway, Finland, Germany, Russia, Baltics.

Applications:
Constructie, geveltimmerwerk, gevelbekleding, binnenbetimmering, trappen, deuren, meubelen, lijstwerk, weg en waterbouw, tuin & recreatie, emballage, vloerdelen, dekvloeren.

Why use timber?

Eenvoudig te bewerken en ter plaatse op maat te maken

  • Licht materiaal met gunstige sterkte-eigenschappen. Het gewicht van naaldhout is maar eenvijfde van dat van beton en eenzestiende van dat van staal.
  • Betrouwbaar en veilig product, ook voor constructies. Bij overspanningen tot circa 7 meter tegen een zeer gunstige prijs-kwaliteitsverhouding
  • Uit voorraad leverbaar tegen een gunstige prijs
  • Enorme ontwerpvrijheid door verkrijgbaarheid van vele soorten, kleuren, maten en vormen
  • Eenvoudig en op vele manieren af te werken en daardoor altijd aanpasbaar aan nieuwe trends en wensen
  • Een natuurlijk product dat warm aanvoelt
  • Vrij van schadelijke stoffen, draagt bij aan een prettig en gezond binnenklimaat
  • Geluidsabsorberend
  • Voegt geen overtollig bouwvocht toe, zoals beton en metselwerk
  • Isoleert goed. De isolatiewaarde is 12 x hoger dan die van beton en 400 x hoger dan die van staal. Bij hout is de kans op condensatie en onplezierige koudestraling van wanden of vloeren klein
  • Tussen stijlen en regels en tussen de balken kan isolatiemateriaal worden aangebracht. Dit geeft een hoge isolatiewaarde zonder dat er extra ruimte nodig is, ruimtewinst dus in de woning.