---
title: "Pine — density, melting point and properties"
description: "Pine has a density of 500 kg/m³ (350–650). Melting point, strength, conductivity, what it is used for, and whether it floats, rusts or is magnetic."
url: https://atoneplace.net/material/pine/
site: "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

- [Does pine float?](https://atoneplace.net/does-it-float/pine/)
- [Plywood](https://atoneplace.net/material/plywood/)
- [MDF](https://atoneplace.net/material/mdf/)
- [White oak](https://atoneplace.net/material/white-oak/)
- [Red oak](https://atoneplace.net/material/red-oak/)
- [Balsa](https://atoneplace.net/material/balsa/)
- [Spruce](https://atoneplace.net/material/spruce/)
- [Western red cedar](https://atoneplace.net/material/cedar/)
- [Hard maple](https://atoneplace.net/material/maple/)

## Sources

- Typical range compiled from manufacturer specifications — At One Place (/about/)