Spruce-Pine-Fir or SPF lumber is a common building material used in construction as well as various manufacturing processes. Sourced from the coniferous trees of North America, this lumber is an engineered wood that comes mostly from Canada but can also be found in places like the northern United States. Also, there are two species of SPF lumber, western and eastern.
The western species are available in larger sizes which can be attributed to the size of the logs and the climate in general while the eastern species are slow growing with outstanding strength. Also, as SPF wood has relatively sound, tight knots and provides better strength to weight ratio, it has become a favorable choice for people looking forward to getting some woodwork done. The dimensional stability and comparatively superior gluing property also make it an excellent choice to work with.
There are various ways in which SPF lumber can be used:
- Right from single and multi-family home construction to construction, crating, and packing and furniture making, the lumber has proved to be essentially multipurpose.
- Other factors could be the ease of painting, the sturdiness with which it holds on the nails, and most importantly – meeting the building code requirement for fire safety, strength, and effective sound transmission too.
Before we go into further specifics, there are different types of grades associated with the lumber that helps determine which will be good for building and manufacturing what.
- The different types of SPF lumber you can find are #2, #3, economy, stud grade, and SPF low grade lumber.
- Manufacturing projects use all types of lumber depending on budget and requirements. For framing and dimensional work, SPF lumber #2 is preferred while commercial construction including homes and offices is done with #3 grade SPF lumber.
The best reason to go for SPF lumber is its affordability. Given the surging prices in retail, this is where you can do the cost-cutting without affecting the value addition done with construction and renovation. The durability that the lumber provides is at par if not better than other types of wood available. Also, goes without saying, the lumber allows for fast construction which is a major factor when working on a schedule. Flexibility and high thermal performance make it a better choice.
Now you know all about SPF lumber and why it is a good choice for construction!
