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The three commercially important spruces growing
in British Columbia are Engelmann spruce (Picea engelmanni), Western
White Spruce (Picea glauca), and Sitka spruce (Picea sitchensis).
Engelmann spruce and Western white spruce are common throughout the
interior mountain regions of southern and central British Columbia and
on the eastern slope of the Rocky Mountains in Alberta. Sitka spruce,
the largest of all the spruces, is confined in Canada to the coastal
region of British Columbia and the southwest corner of the Yukon.
In general, spruce wood is light in color, nearly
white to pale yellowish-brown, with little difference between the
sapwood and heartwood. Growth ring figuration is slight. It is usually
straight-grained, non-porous, with a fine to medium texture.
The spruces are light in weight, have moderate
strength properties, good resiliency, medium hardness and low
resistance to abrasion. Sitka spruce has above-average stiffness with a
high strength-to-weight ratio. Engelmann spruce is highly resilient.
All species should be treated if used in situations favourable to decay.
The wood dries readily with moderate shrinkage,
small dimensional movement and minimal tendency to check. It is
relatively easy to work and has satisfactory to good machining
properties, turns, planes, shapes, sands and finishes well. It glues
easily and has moderate nail and screw holding ability.
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