There are several other species of spruce traded as spruce-pine-fir (SPF), along with other similar grades of pine and fir. Examples include black spruce (Picea mariana), red spruce (Picea rubens), white spruce (Picea glauca), Engelmann spruce (Picea engelmanni), Lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta), jack pine (Pinus banksiana), balsam fir (Abies balsamea) and alpine fir (Abies lasiocarpa).

These woods share physical and mechanical characteristics, and are used in the same applications as lightweight construction timber, wood fibre and paper pulp. They may be further distinguished by their origin, such as Eastern and Western in USA. In this case, Eastern types are slower grown and so tend to be a little stronger.

Blackboard is produced from strips of spruce-pine-fir (SPF) sandwiched between veneers, or other face material such as high pressure laminate (HPL) or medium density fibreboard (MDF). The advantages of this type of manufactured panel, compared to plywood, are that it is relatively lightweight, uses less adhesive, and can be fixed into on the sides as well as the face (plywood splits relatively easily if screws or nails are inserted into the edge). It is used as a low cost alternative to plywood in applications such as interiors (wardrobes, walls, panelling, storage, doors), furniture, shop fitting and transportation (train carriage partitions, recreation vehicles and lorry trailers). Thickness range from 16 to 50 mm. It is classed as either water boil proof (WBP) or boiling water proof (BWP), or moisture resistant (MR). It is painted, or the surface veneers are replaced, or supplemented, with medium density fibreboard (MDF), high pressure laminate (HPL) or decorative veneer to produce a finished product.