Spruce
1.5-2 usd/kgSpruce 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.
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Like pine, spruce is commonly pressure impregnated (also called salt impregnation), to make it more durable outdoors. The process involves placing pre-cut timber into a chamber where vacuum or pressure is applied. The chamber is filled with the impregnation liquid, which penetrates the wood cells. It is only suitable for sapwood, because the heartwood resists impregnation. If wood is only painted or varnished, and not impregnated, then the surface is protected against weathering, UV light and biological factors for around 2 years. Pressure-impregnated timber, on the other hand, may be guaranteed for up to 20 years.
Copper (typically 0.1-0.2%) and a number of organic substances (fungicides and insecticides), in a water-based solution, are used for impregnation. The grey-green colour of impregnated wood comes from the inclusion of copper. Over time, the colour will fade and it will become grey like untreated wood. The content of boron is considered to be very low and does not trigger any classification. As a result, it is not typically considered hazardous waste at the end of its life. However, impregnated wood may not be used in wood-burning stoves or bonfires; it should be disposed of carefully at municipal waste recycling; and it should not be used in food contact applications. This is because the chemistry is considered dangerous, especially for the aquatic environment, and they are not considered biodegradable. At the end of its useful life, impregnated wood not suitable for reuse is disposed in landfill, or incinerated for energy recovery.
Water-based copper impregnation is suitable for a range of exterior applications. There are two principal grades:
– A grade impregnated wood is used in wooden structures that come into contact with soil, fresh water, and concrete. It is also used for safety-promoting structures such as piers, fence posts, staircases, railings, bridges, load-bearing structures on terraces, and on the lower reaches and underlay structures of buildings.
– AB grade impregnated wood is used for applications that are above ground level, such as fence planks, garden furniture, terraces, pergolas, flower boxes and sandboxes, and playground equipment.
Oil-based creosote is used in applications where the wood will be placed underground, in contact with water, and in safety critical structural applications, such as poles and sleepers. It produces timber products that can last 50 years without maintenance.