At One Place

Pine

Density of pine
500 kg/m³ (350–650)
0.50 g/cm³ · 31.2 lb/ft³

Not one wood: eastern white pine is about 370 kg/m³ and soft enough to dent with a fingernail, while southern yellow pine reaches 640 and is a structural timber, which is why the density band here is so wide. All pines are resinous, and the resin bleeds through paint unless the knots are sealed first — that is what knotting solution is for. Untreated it rots within a few years in ground contact, so anything outdoors is pressure-treated.

Properties

Density
500 kg/m³ (350–650) — 0.50 g/cm³
Young's modulus
9 GPa
Floats in water
Yes
Magnetic
No

What it is used for

  • Stud walls and roof timbers
  • Flat-pack and painted furniture
  • Floorboards and skirting
  • Fencing and decking (treated)

How it compares

Water is 1,000 kg/m³. Anything with a shorter bar than water floats in it.

air 1.2 kg/m³
expanded polystyrene foam 20 kg/m³
rigid polyurethane foam 40 kg/m³
pine 500 kg/m³
Water — the float line 1,000 kg/m³
tungsten 19,250 kg/m³
gold 19,300 kg/m³
platinum 21,450 kg/m³
Water is 1,000 kg/m³. Anything below that floats.
Material Density Relative to water
rigid polyurethane foam 40 kg/m³ 0.04×
expanded polystyrene foam 20 kg/m³ 0.02×
air 1.2 kg/m³ 0.00×
pine ← 500 kg/m³ 0.50×
platinum 21,450 kg/m³ 21.45×
gold 19,300 kg/m³ 19.30×
tungsten 19,250 kg/m³ 19.25×

Does it rust?

Pine contains no iron, so it cannot rust. Whether it degrades depends on the material, not on oxidation.

Is it magnetic?

Pine is not a metal and has no ferromagnetic response.

Common questions

What is the density of pine?
500 kg/m³ (350–650), or 0.50 g/cm³.
Does pine float?
Yes. At 500 kg/m³ it is less dense than water's 1,000.
Is pine magnetic?
Pine is not a metal and has no ferromagnetic response.

Related pages

Sources

  1. Typical range compiled from manufacturer specifications — At One Place

How these figures are compiled and checked