Pine, Slash

Slash pine is a softwood native to south eastern United States and grown widely in plantations in northern NSW and in Queensland. It is mostly available in those states. It is used for general construction purposes, flooring, panelling and plywood; when treated with preservatives it is used for outdoor uses such as cladding and decking, fascia and barge boards; and for pergolas, fencing, retaining walls, landscaping, and playground equipment.

The heartwood of slash pine is pale reddish brown, while the sapwood is pale yellow and not clearly marked from the heartwood. The texture is relatively coarse and non-uniform, with alternating bands of late and earlywood. The grain is straight; the growth rings are prominent and the resin flows are very abundant. Knots are present in construction grade timber.

There is a distinctive difference in colour between earlywood and latewood, which results in a notable figure when back sawn. There are many resin canals, prominent as lines on dressed longitudinal surfaces, and the timber has a strong resinous odour. The resin can cause problems when working with the timber.

Slash pine is of low durability, with a life expectancy of less than seven years above ground and five below ground and it is resistant to termites. Only the sapwood can be treated with preservatives.