Southern Pine lumber has been popular since Colonial times for a wide variety of applications. Favorable growing conditions, wise forest management, and efficient manufacturing ensure a continuous supply of high-quality Southern Pine products for future generations. Southern Pine consists of four main species — shortleaf, longleaf, loblolly, and slash — and is the preferred choice for today's design/build professionals. Here are a few of the inherent advantages of Southern Pine:

Cost Savings
Wood products are still the most cost-effective building material on the market today. Southern Pine is competitively priced because of abundant timber supply, manufacturing expertise, and established market preference. Design/build professionals that choose strong Southern Pine can reduce the amount of lumber required. As a result, using Southern Pine can translate into significant cost savings.

Superior Strength and Stiffness
Southern Pine is the strongest softwood structural lumber species, as published in the National Design Specification® (NDS®) for Wood Construction. Design values for Southern Pine are the highest of all commonly used wood species.

Highest Density
Southern Pine also has the highest density of all structural lumber species, providing superior fastenerholding power and load-bearing capacity.

Best Treatability
Southern Pine has long been the preferred species for pressure treatment because of its unique cellular structure that permits deep, uniform penetration of preservatives. Some 85% of all pressure-treated wood produced in the U.S. is Southern Pine.

Natural Beauty
Southern Pine offers a distinct grain pattern and an appealing golden color. Because of this natural beauty, exposed Southern Pine provides architectural appeal.

Widespread Availability
Southern Pine is an abundant and renewable resource, growing in a vast band across the Southern United States from East Texas to Virginia. Nearly 400 manufacturers produce Southern Pine lumber, making it readily available.

Dimensional Stability
Southern Pine dimension lumber 2" and less in thickness must be dried to a maximum moisture content of 19%. This minimizes shrinkage associated with green lumber and provides long-term stability.

Proven Quality
Southern Pine lumber is graded in accordance with the Southern Pine Inspection Bureau (SPIB) Standard Grading Rules for Southern Pine Lumber.

Green Building Material
Choosing domestic Southern Pine — a product grown in the U.S. — is not only a good environmental choice but also an opportunity to support local economies.