What’s the difference in Yellow Pine vs. White Pine?
The differences in Yellow Pine vs. White Pine
Pine floors have graced American homes for centuries. As one of America’s most time-honored woods, Pine floors were the choice of early New England colonists who also used the wood for siding, wainscoting and structural timbers. Because most Pine species are considerably softer than hardwoods like Oak, Maple, Birch and Ash, Pine floors wear more quickly, developing a warmth and rugged texture that adds character to any room.
While there are many types of Pine, White Pine and Yellow Pine are two of the most common species used for flooring. Here’s a quick look at the differences in Yellow Pine vs. White Pine.
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GET DESIGN BOOKAre there different kinds of Yellow Pine?
Yes, there are and it is important to understand. Yellow pine is a general term that refers to many different species of pine that are typically found in the South.
The two most common species are Shortleaf Yellow Pine and Longleaf Yellow Pine. Shortleaf Yellow Pine (SYP) is a much faster growing timber that produces a very wide and less dense grain pattern. Typically, Shortleaf Yellow Pine is used for pressure treated lumber, plywood or lower grades of flooring and trim. Longleaf Yellow Pine, on the other hand, is extremely slow growing producing a very tighter grain structure. It has a hardness that rivals oaks and is the species used to build most of the factories in America during the Industrial Revolution.
Appearance of Yellow Pine vs. White Pine
Eastern White Pine has been a staple of wide plank flooring for hundreds of years. With off-white to yellow coloring, subtle knots and dense, signature grain, Eastern White Pine wears in as it ages to create a surface that is always unique. In contrast, Southern Yellow Pine offers hues of yellowish white in the sapwood and reddish brown, yellow or orange in the heartwood. Yellow Pine has more pronounced grain patterns than White Pine. Both Yellow and White Pine will darken when exposed to natural sunlight.
Which is harder: Yellow or White Pine?
With a rating of 870 on the Janka hardness scale, Southern Yellow Pine is one of the harder Pine species and rivals the density of softer hardwoods like Cherry and Mahogany. The Heart Pine timbers cut from Longleaf Yellow Pine trees are even harder, with the Janka rating of 1225, rivaling the density of Oak. Eastern White Pine is much softer, with a rating of only 380 on the Janka scale.
The durability of Yellow Pine vs. White Pine
Made from much softer wood, a White Pine floor will show dents, dings, and scratches more easily than a Yellow Pine floor. Both Yellow Pine and White Pine will develop a distressed, rustic look over time, which is part of the wood’s appeal. Heavy furniture like bookshelves or desk legs can leave dents or gouges in the wood. For this reason, Pine floors tend to require more frequent refinishing than traditional hardwood floors, unless the antique appeal of dents and dings is an essential part of your design. That said, Pine floors will harden over time as they are walked on and the wood fibers in the floorboards become more compressed, making Pine floors highly durable. In fact, it is not uncommon to find Pine floors that are more than a century old.
Which wood is easier to stain?
White Pine is the least resinous of all the Pine species, making unfinished White Pine flooring very easy to stain. Because it has more pockets of resin, Yellow Pine is a bit more difficult to stain evenly. However, both types of Pine floors can be professionally stained to a wide range of colors, making it easy to choose Pine for both traditional and contemporary design schemes.
Cleaning and maintaining Yellow Pine vs. White Pine
There is not much difference in the effort required to keep Yellow and White Pine clean. However, because White Pine wears more quickly, it may require more frequent attention. To minimize wear, Yellow and White Pine floors should be regularly swept or vacuumed to remove debris that can cause scratches and wear. Finished Pine floors can be lightly mopped with a mild solution of water and a little white vinegar to remove stubborn grime.
Distressing your Pine floors
One of the great benefits of Yellow and White Pine is the texture and personality they develop over time from foot traffic and wear. For homeowners who love the look of dirty top Pine flooring – floors with a patina of wear, discoloration, and texture – choosing to distress new Pine floorboards may be an option. With distressing or texturing techniques, flooring craftsmen treat unfinished Pine flooring with a variety of techniques to reproduce the look of Pine floorboards that have been lived on for generations. From adding saw marks or hand-scraped edges to wearing down the softer grains in a floorboard to mimic the effects of time, distressing your Pine floor adds instant character and authenticity, bringing warmth and visual interest to any room.
What’s the cost difference?
While there is not much difference in cost in Yellow Pine vs. White Pine, Pine floors on the whole are significantly less expensive than traditional hardwood floors, depending on the grade, width and length specification you require.
Design your ideal Pine floor with Carlisle
At Carlisle, we offer wide plank floors made from Eastern White Pine timbers and from Heart Pine floorboards cut from Longleaf or Southern Yellow Pine trees. Our design consultants will work closely with you to explore all your options for wide plank floors or for the best wood for stair treads. From considering the benefits of Pine vs. Oak to your choices for wood grade, color, and texture, we will walk you through all the possibilities as you design the wide plank floor of your dreams.
Considering a Pine Floor? Here are a few projects we have done with clients over the years:
Whitewash White Pine in Oceanfront Home
Distressed White Pine in Jackson Hole
