Pine, the wood you grew up within shop class and probably practiced with when doing your first woodworking project, is a versatile type of lumber. Oftentimes it’s thought of as the wood used for utility projects like building framing or shelving. Still, pine is also a good option if you are looking to build furniture affordably. Before building furniture with pine, it is important to understand some tips and tricks you will want to follow.
Some essential tips for building furniture with pine wood include understanding wood moisture, paying attention to pitch, taking care to prevent scratches and dents, and stabilizing your woodworking blades.
By learning more about pine and following the listed tips, you will be on your way to building beautiful, sturdy pine furniture pieces. This article will dive deeper into pine’s limitations and give you the essential tips you need to build with it. By the end of the article, you will know how to best select and care for the pine you will be using for your project.
Understand Wood Moisture
Pinewood that you will find to purchase at a lumber yard is typically kiln-dried before it’s available for purchase. This brings lumber moisture levels into a range that allows it to be more workable, helping crafters avoid problems caused by excess moisture levels like warping, buckling, and adhesive failures. However, the kiln-drying process is not enough to dry pine to a level making it workable for fine and detailed woodworking projects like furniture building.
With this being said, a good tip when using pine wood is to pick the best pieces you can find at your lumberyard and then carefully stack them in your shop for a few months. This will allow the wood to dry out further while also acclimating to the environment of your shop. By stabilizing the lumber this way, the wood will be more workable and stable for furniture building. Remember that if you want to build furniture with pine, you will need to plan.
Be aware that even after taking these extra steps to stabilize pine, you may still deal with some warping issues, which is expected when doing any woodworking project. However, the warping will be much easier to fix using a planer or jointer.
Pay Attention to Pitch
When working with wood, you may run into the sap, or in the case of working with pine, you will deal with pitch (or pine tar). Pine is known for frequently leaving a good amount of pitch on the blades of your woodworking tools. Pitch is black in color and has a very sticky, tar-like consistency.
As explained in the previous tip, stabilizing pine will significantly decrease the amount of pitch you will be dealing with as it will dry out. But if you find yourself dealing with pitch buildup, be sure to clean your woodworking blades with a good all-purpose cleaner frequently. A few tablespoons of Dawn dish soap or laundry detergent mixed with a quart of water will even do the trick. Be sure to pay attention to any pitch and clean before buildup has happened.
Prevent Scratches and Dents
Pine trees are softwood trees. That means pine wood is softer than hardwoods like oak and maple. The softness of wood is determined by the Janka hardness test. It explains how much force is needed to embed a .444″ diameter steel ball halfway into the wood. Even though it is a softer wood, it does have a great deal of stiffness that works well for furniture pieces. But because of the softness, pine can scratch and dent quite easily.
You can do a couple of things to prevent scratching, including keeping a clean workspace, removing any extra tools or wood chips, and line your work surface with cardboard. If a scratch does occur, the pine’s soft nature allows the scratch to be easily sanded out.
Dents are a bit harder to take care of. A common practice is using a wet cloth and covering the dent, then holding a hot iron for a few seconds over the cloth. This will often reduce or remove the dent as the steam’s moisture works its way into the wood’s fibers.
That being said, some crafters do not mind the fact that pine can easily scratch or dent. Sometimes the dings and dents will give the furniture an antique-finished look that some people look for. Depending on your piece’s purpose or style, the scratches and dents could give your furniture an aged-look that you’re looking for.
Stabilize the Wood
When finishing pine, the most important thing is that the wood had time to acclimate to the local environment. However, if you choose to start your project without stabilizing the wood, it is critical to give it time to stabilize before staining and finishing. Without doing so, your finish will not be as durable as you’d want for a furniture piece. You will notice the stain, or whatever finish you use will quickly begin to wear without dry, stable wood.
If you are painting your pine furniture instead of staining, you should fill all the nails and screw holes with caulk before painting. Then use some quality primer on the wood. Since pine is known for its light color with darker knots, it is essential to prime the wood well to camouflage the knots and allow it to take the color you want to achieve.
Before staining your pine furniture, using a pre-stain conditioner is an important step. Doing this will even out the color of the stain, providing consistency. After using the conditioner, stain, and use the protective finish of your choice. The light, creamy pine color makes it a popular choice for many projects since it can easily achieve any finished color.
What Else You Need to Know About Pine Furniture
Although most furniture is built out of oak or maple, pine has been used for a long time, particularly for building Colonial, rustic, and craftsman style pieces. Pine is usually a creamy, white color, but sometimes the shade is more yellow. The light color gives you the chance to stain your furniture whatever color you want easily.
Pine also often has prominent knots, which can add a nice touch to your pieces. However, you have to be mindful of the number and location of knots in the pine you select. Although it can add unique detail, excessive knotting can weaken the wood and form holes in your furniture. It is vital to know the knots are not near any screws or joints in the furniture.
Pine lumber and furniture is lower cost than other commonly used woods. Pine trees grow quickly, which is what lowers the cost since it is so easily accessible. Pine trees are also low maintenance trees that allow growers to sell the wood for a good price.
Final Thoughts
Although it may not be the first type of lumber to come to mind, pine is a great option for building nice furniture pieces. By following these tips and tricks, you will be able to create a durable, low-cost piece of furniture. Again, pay attention to things like stabilizing the wood, dealing with pitch, and taking care while preventing scratches and dents.
And of course, keep in mind the added benefits like the lower cost and light, adaptable color. Even though it’s not the most common option, don’t be afraid to give pine a shot.