Spruce

Spruce is a light coloured softwood, with little contrast between heartwood and sapwood. Unlike pine, it has almost no odour and the wood has a uniform, relatively knot-free appearance. It is used in light construction work, engineered wood (glulam and plywood), wood fibre products and pulp (paper making). General purpose timber is relatively inexpensive.

Spruce is prized for its superior acoustic properties. It has uniform properties and shrinks little after seasoning. These qualities are utilised in quarter-sawn soundboards for musical instruments, such as violin, cello and piano. The highest quality musical instruments are produced from spruce that has been specifically selected before felling and air dried for a decade or more. These are some of the most expensive timbers available.