Wood Species Guide
Sitka Spruce
Picea sitchensis
Also called: Silver Spruce, Tideland Spruce, Coast Spruce, Menzies Spruce, Alaska Spruce
What Sitka Spruce looks like
Light pinkish tan to creamy white heartwood with a soft natural sheen. Old-growth quartersawn pieces can show silky shimmer across the grain.
Grain and texture
Straight, even grain with a medium-fine texture. Instrument-grade billets have tight, regular growth rings.
Working Sitka Spruce: planing, cutting and gluing
Works easily and cleanly with hand and machine tools. It is light but very stiff and strong for its weight, which is why it was used for aircraft and masts. Glues and finishes well; sharp tools prevent fuzzy end grain.
Finishing Sitka Spruce: oil, film finishes and epoxy
Takes clear finishes and oil nicely, and it ambers slowly under UV. Stain can blotch, so condition first. For epoxy work on boards or paddles, a thin seal coat keeps the surface even.
Durability, stability and Florida humidity
Slightly resistant to non-resistant to decay and susceptible to insects. Quartersawn stock is very stable. In Florida, keep it indoors and finished; it will not last outdoors untreated.
Shop notes from our Fort Myers shop
Sitka spruce is the most common soundboard wood for acoustic guitars, and it is a classic for boat spars, oars and paddles. Clear, quartersawn pieces cost far more than construction spruce. It is not a slab or tabletop wood. We don't stock it, but ask us and we can often source it.
Common uses for Sitka Spruce
Guitar and piano soundboards, boat masts and spars, oars, paddles, aircraft parts, ladders, millwork and construction lumber.
Sustainability and CITES status
Not listed in the CITES Appendices. Listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List. Large old-growth trees for instrument wood are increasingly scarce.
Safety and toxicity
- Skin irritation
- Respiratory / asthma
Reactions are uncommon. Spruce dust can irritate skin and airways, and a few people become sensitized.
- In the shop
- Dust collection and a mask when sanding
- Food contact
- Not recommended for cutting boards, bowls and utensils
General information, not medical advice. See a doctor if you have a reaction.
Spruce dust is occasionally reported to cause skin irritation and breathing problems, and it can act as a sensitizer. Use dust collection and a mask when sanding.
Sitka Spruce in stock now
Ask us. We can often source it.
We don't have Sitka Spruce listed online right now, but new slabs and lumber come in all the time and not everything makes it to the website. Tell us what you're building and we'll check our racks and suppliers.
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