Also known as Pinus Radiate or the common name Monterey pine. It is a versatile timber, which is widely used for whole range of structural and decorative applications.

Location

Radiata pine is mostly grown in large plantations located on the Southern Slopes and Central Tablelands near Tumut and Bathurst, although it is also found in other areas of NSW. Smaller plantations are grown on the Northern tablelands near Walcha. Radiata pine was introduced to Australian from a small area near Monterey, on the West Coast of the USA. It is currently the most important single softwood species in the state.

Size

Up to 50 metres in height and 90 centimetres in diameter

Wood appearance

Colour. Heartwood is reddish-brown varying to shades of yellow. Sapwood is usually pale yellow to white. The texture is fine, with the grain usually straight expect for the central core of juvenile wood that often has pronounced spiral grain in the first few years.

Wood density

Green density is about 1000 kg/m³, and air – dry density about 590 kg/m³ in 30-40 year old and about 480 kg/m³ in 10-20 year old trees. Basic density is about 490 kg/m³ in 30-40 year old and about 405 kg/m³ in 10-20 year old trees.  

Use

For general construction, house framing, moulding architraves, doors, shelves, joinery and turnery, decorative panelling, furniture, construction plywood, sliced veneer as a facing for particleboard, pulp and paper and reconstituted products. For example, particleboard and medium density fibreboard (MDF). If preservative treated, radiate pine can be used for posts, poles, sleepers, retaining walls, decking, cooling towers and mining timber.