Wood Species Guide
Tamarack
Larix laricina
Also called: Eastern Larch, American Larch, Hackmatack, Red Larch, Alaska Larch
About the name “Tamarack”
Tamarack is a larch, one of the few conifers that drops its needles every fall. In the West, the name tamarack is also used for western larch and sometimes for lodgepole pine.
What Tamarack looks like
Heartwood is a yellowish to reddish brown and the narrow sapwood is nearly white. The latewood bands are darker and stand out clearly.
Grain and texture
Straight grain with a medium to coarse texture and strong contrast between soft earlywood and hard latewood. It is somewhat oily to the touch.
Working Tamarack: planing, cutting and gluing
Harder and heavier than most softwoods. The hard latewood bands can make planing uneven and cause tearout, and it can split when nailed near the ends, so pre-drill. It glues reasonably well.
Finishing Tamarack: oil, film finishes and epoxy
The banded density makes stain blotchy, so use a conditioner or dye. Resin can bleed from knots; seal with dewaxed shellac. For epoxy, wipe resinous areas and seal coat first.
Durability, stability and Florida humidity
Heartwood is moderately durable, better than most northern softwoods, which is why it was used for posts, boat knees and railroad ties. Sapwood rots quickly. In Florida, use heartwood only and keep it off the ground.
Shop notes from our Fort Myers shop
Tamarack is a traditional wood for boat knees, snowshoe frames, posts and rustic log work. It is rarely sold as lumber, and pieces are usually small. If you want a larch for a project, western larch is much easier to find. We don't stock it, but ask us and we can often source it.
Common uses for Tamarack
Posts, poles, railroad ties, boat knees, snowshoe frames, rough lumber, crates and pulp.
Sustainability and CITES status
Not listed in the CITES Appendices. Listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.
Safety and toxicity
- Skin irritation
Few reports. Larch wood can irritate the skin, and a few people get hives or rashes from handling it.
- In the shop
- Dust collection and a mask when sanding; gloves for sensitive skin
- Food contact
- Not recommended for cutting boards, bowls and utensils
General information, not medical advice. See a doctor if you have a reaction.
Larch wood has been reported to cause skin irritation, and sometimes hives or skin rashes. Use dust collection and a mask when sanding, and gloves for sensitive skin.
Tamarack in stock now
Ask us. We can often source it.
We don't have Tamarack 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.
Similar woods: Firs & Spruces
- Balsam FirAbies balsamea Balsam fir is the classic fragrant Christmas tree of the Northeast. Its soft, light wood ends up in...
- Douglas FirPseudotsuga menziesii Douglas fir is the strong, warm-toned workhorse of American construction lumber. Clear vertical-grain boards make handsome rustic tables,...
- Eastern HemlockTsuga canadensis Eastern hemlock is a coarse, splintery eastern softwood used for framing, timbers and barn siding. An invasive insect...
- Engelmann SprucePicea engelmannii Engelmann spruce is a light, pale spruce from the high Rockies. Luthiers like it for warm, responsive guitar...
- Grand FirAbies grandis Grand fir is one of the tallest true firs of the Pacific Northwest, sold mostly as Hem-Fir framing...
- Noble FirAbies procera Noble fir is a tall Cascade Mountain fir known for premium Christmas trees and clear, straight lumber. It...