Part of a larger group of tree species known as softwoods, in the wood industry, Spruce-pine-fir refers to Canadian woods of similar characteristics that have been grouped for production and marketing. Mainly used to make dimensional lumber for home building and panels, the SPF species have moderate strength, are worked easily, take paint readily, and hold nails well. They are white to pale yellow in color.This plain MDF board is available in different sizes and thickness to suit a wide range of applications. Currently, it is primarily used to construct wooden floors, doors, partitions, furniture and more.
Softwood is wood from gymnosperm trees such as pines and spruces. Softwoods are not necessarily softer than hardwoods.[2] In both groups there is an enormous variation in actual wood hardness, the range of density in hardwoods completely including that of softwoods. Some hardwoods (e.g. balsa) are softer than most softwoods, while the hardest hardwoods are much harder than any softwood. The woods of longleaf pine, Douglas fir, and yew are much harder in the mechanical sense than several hardwoods. Softwoods are generally most used by the construction industry and are also used to produce paper pulp, and card products.[3] In many of these applications, there is a constant need for density and thickness monitoring and gamma-ray sensors have shown good performance in this case.[4]
Softwood is the source of about 80% of the world's production of timber,[7] with traditional centres of production being the Baltic region (including Scandinavia and Russia)