Is Spruce OK ?

[Sod saw]

.   


A neighboring farm has recently removed some Spruce trees to make way for some crops. Oh, maybe 2 or 3 acres.  They have the logs stacked off the ground on sleepers.  

I had decided long ago, from experience,  that I was not going to saw Spruce due to the knots and lower percentage of nice finished boards.

However:       My question is,

Is Spruce used very often for beams and/or posts?

What about those clusters of knots?  Will those clusters have any effect on strength?  Of course they will so the real question is:  In your experience, what percentage of a pile of logs will have reject logs?


.

[beenthere]

Tough to come up with an answer to your "real" question.   

[Menagerie-Manor]

In the process of building a guest cabin now with all the large Spruce timber harvested from my property. Other than slowing my cuts when it was obvious it's been no problem cutting, as for beams and posts Spruce is a good durable material.

[SwampDonkey]

Well pasture spruce I would not use, but spruce grown in forest conditions will have plenty of nice clear wood and small knots. So depends on how it grew. Old barns up this way were full of post and beam made of spruce. Old farm houses the same, built almost like barns to with heavy carrying beams and top plates. 2 x 10" or 2 x 12" floor joist.

[twar]

In Norway, most construction lumber, paneling and siding is spruce. But like SwampD says--forest grown.

[Sod saw]

.


I remember walking thru the standing trees a few years ago and most in a row.  I doubt that these would be considered grown in a forest as the owner told me that his grandfather planted them.

I am glad for your replies.  Thanks.


.