Coniferous trees are found almost everywhere - in both warm and cold regions. Some areas are even distinguished by the predominance of representatives of this family over other varieties. The most famous conifers are spruce, cedar, pine, fir, cypress, juniper, larch, sequoia and yew. Most of these are tall trees, but there are also shrubs and dwarf tree representatives. They are widespread in Russian regions, but not everyone can distinguish, for example, larch from pine.
In this article we will try to figure out how to distinguish larch from pine and what is the difference between the wood of these trees.
How is larch different from pine?
The forest kingdom is not only a magnificent nature, but also a place where birds and animals live. Among other things, the forest contains a huge variety of trees that differ from each other. Pine and larch are familiar to many, but few have delved into their features and differences. Both of these plants are coniferous trees, but there are some significant differences between them. Next, let's try to figure out how they are similar to each other and how they differ from each other.
Below is a description of larch and pine.
How to determine the quality of lumber?
Today, the lumber market offers individual developers a huge selection of boards, all types of timber, logs and finishing materials. At the same time, every buyer standing in front of stacks of finished products asks a natural question - how to determine the quality of lumber?
In this case, you can give various technical definitions, GOST types for this or that type of lumber, but all these terms will not help the average consumer at all. To begin with, let's highlight the main selection criterion - the raw material from which lumber is made, or, more simply, the type of wood.
Larch
This plant is one of the most common among conifers growing in Russia and beyond. The tree grows up to 50 meters in height, and the trunk diameter reaches 1 meter. The lifespan of this breed is 300-400 years. There are also “old-timers” who have reached 800 years of age.
Instead of foliage, the tree has needles, which is typical for all coniferous trees. In larch, unlike pine and spruce, it is soft to the touch and annual. The needles are shed in the fall, and the tree overwinters as a deciduous tree, without foliage. Therefore, many people have a question: what type of tree does the plant belong to and how to distinguish larch from pine?
Lining
– This finishing material is very popular. What should you consider when choosing it?
– If you need lining for a bathhouse, then you need to take it from wood species that do not emit resin. In our region this is aspen, linden, and alder is also found. Linden is more durable than aspen and smells better, but is 30 percent more expensive. Outwardly they look similar, many don’t even differentiate, but linden has a slightly creamy tint, aspen is lighter.
– Some people have a prejudice against aspen.
– There is something that is supposedly bad energy. Probably manufacturers of linden products start such rumors (laughs).
– Some people think that covering the walls with clapboard inside a house is bad form...
- Why? It's cheaper than plastering them. Plaster absorbs odors, and in a room upholstered with clapboard, even if you smoke, after 10 minutes there will be no more smell.
Scots pine
The height of the tree is 25-40 meters, the trunk in diameter is more than 1 meter. Age can reach up to 350 years (maximum - 600).
Paired needles emerge from brown leathery sheaths. The length of the prickly and hard needles is 4-9 cm, width – up to 2 mm. They are placed on the shoot in a linear-spiral manner. In the upper part the needles are dark green, in the lower part they are bluish-green due to a waxy coating. She lives for about 2-3 years, sometimes up to 8 years. The cones sit on the branches singly or in groups of 2-3. They are oblong-ovoid in shape, up to 7 cm long.
Scots pine, like larch, is very light-loving and is easily replaced by fast-growing and more shade-tolerant species. Not demanding on soil moisture and fertility. Scots pine is cold-resistant and frost-resistant.
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Pine
— The sapwood is wide from yellowish to pink.
Annual layers are clearly visible on all sections with a clear boundary between early and late wood. Larch
- Sapwood is narrow (2-3 cm), brownish in color, the core is brown or reddish-brown, annual layers are clearly visible on all sections, the early part is light or brownish, late - brown or reddish-brown.
The transition from the early part to the late part is very abrupt. Cedar pine
(Siberian cedar) - has a narrow core with a pinkish tint and wide yellowish-white sapwood.
Spruce
- the breed is coreless, mature wood, has a few resin tunnels. The wood is a uniform white color, sometimes with a slight yellowish or pink tint; it is able to retain its natural color for a long time. The annual layers are clearly visible in all sections; Late wood is slightly different from early wood in that it is darker in color.
Where do larch and pine grow?
Larch can withstand the most severe frosts and can grow in the most depleted soils. In nature, it is found in any area and can even form larch forests. You can find this tree in Primorye, Siberia, the Carpathians and the Far East. Some representatives grow all over the world.
Pines grow in the Northern Hemisphere, in the temperate zone. The growing area extends from northern Africa to regions beyond the Arctic Circle. These are Russia, European countries, North America and Asia. Pine forms mixed forests and pine forests, where they grow together with spruce and other trees.
In Russia, the leading position is occupied by Scots pine. There are a total of 16 wild species.
Use of larch for medicinal purposes
Such impressive medicinal properties of larch are actively used not only in folk, but also in traditional medicine. Infusions, decoctions, extracts, ointments - this is not a complete list of remedies used to treat sometimes even very complex and serious diseases.
Infusions
They are usually taken for colds - to strengthen the immune system and eliminate fever. It’s easy to prepare the infusion: to do this, you need to chop 150 g of pine needles, pour a glass of cold water, add 10 g
diluted hydrochloric acid and place the finished mixture in a cool, dark place for three days. After the infusion, you need to strain and take 200 ml per day. There is another wonderful recipe for an infusion, the use of which will help with neuralgia, diarrhea, poisoning and pain syndromes of various etiologies. To prepare the infusion, 50 g of fresh larch needles need to be poured with 250 ml of vodka and left to infuse for 20 days. Take the finished filtered tincture 20 drops (diluted in 100 ml of water) three times a day.
Decoctions
A decoction is usually prepared from young shoots of larch and is considered an excellent remedy for coughs; it can also be used for various problems with the excretory system. To prepare the decoction, pour two tablespoons of the shoots with a glass of water and place in a water bath for half an hour. Take a third of a glass three times a day.
Extracts (extracts)
Indispensable for diseases of the circulatory system, they show excellent results in the treatment of bronchitis, atherosclerosis, ischemia, ophthalmological disorders and skin diseases. Larch extract can be purchased at a pharmacy and taken strictly in accordance with the instructions.
Essential oils
An excellent remedy for rheumatism, neuralgia, gout and myositis. It can be used in the form of ointments or patches, as well as inhalations and compresses - it all depends on the type of disease.
Features of larch
Larch (see photo in the article) is a coniferous tree belonging to the pine family. Although it sheds its needles, it looks attractive at any time of the year. In spring it is bright green, in autumn it is yellow. In the autumn, having shed its needles, it is also magnificent with beautiful cones on the branches.
Soft needles grow singly or in a bunch.
This light-loving plant grows in places where there is a lot of light. Larch is unpretentious and tolerates frost well. Under favorable conditions for it, it increases its height to one meter over the course of a year. It can grow on mountain tops and in wetlands.
Where can you order quality lumber?
Lumber from conifers occupies a prominent place on the market, but not all of them are of the same quality.
Very often, sellers have no idea about the conditions under which the drying was carried out, where the trees from which the lining, block house or terrace board were made grew. In order not to be disappointed with the result, it is important to purchase construction materials from the manufacturer. In this case, you will receive comprehensive information about each product, its features, processing method and other important points. If you are looking for construction or finishing materials made from Siberian larch, on the LESINTER company website you will find a whole catalog of high-quality boards, timber, lining, block house, planken and many other lumber. All of them are dried using special equipment, and therefore, when used, they give a predictably excellent result: they do not warp, do not change color, and do not rot. You can view a complete list of sizes of various materials in the catalog. There you can also find out the cost of a linear meter of lumber, taking into account the grade.
How to distinguish larch from pine
As you can see, pine and larch plants have a lot in common in terms of places and growing conditions. It is difficult to confuse larch with pine if you see them close up. The main difference is that larch, like all deciduous trees, sheds its leaves for the winter, and in winter it looks almost bare. Pine is an evergreen coniferous tree, changing only the shades of its needles with the seasons.
Both of these trees can grow up to 40 meters in height, but the larch trunk is thicker and can reach up to 1.8 meters in diameter. And their trunk is straight, so both trees serve as excellent building materials. Larch has a more transparent crown than pine.
On young trees, the bark of larch is much lighter than that of pine, but in older trees this difference is practically not noticeable. Larch needles (this is clearly visible in the photo) are bright green, flattened, soft and arranged spirally on the branches and in bunches of about 20-40 pieces. In autumn it turns yellow and crumbles. Pine needles are long and located on a branch, 2 pieces in a bunch, also in a spiral. The leaves do not fall for 2-5 years, and they are replaced imperceptibly and gradually.
Pine cones have a classic cone shape. Young ones are green, while ripe ones are dark brown with pointed, hard scales. In the spring they open and fall. Larch cones are graceful, more rounded and ovoid in shape. Young cones are pale yellow in color, while mature ones are brown. After opening, they pour out seeds, and the cones themselves remain on the branches and hang for about three years.
The answer to the question of how to distinguish larch from pine in terms of the appearance of the plant is clear. Now we need to find out the quality of the wood of these two plants.
Comparative analysis of two breeds
To settle on one, you need to compare options on all fronts.
- Strength, durability.
Larch is unrivaled in this parameter. This is the standard of strength.
Interesting! It is known that in some old castles the original floor covering was larch lumber. This is a plus for trusting this particular option.
Also, such coatings and structures do not form harmful fungi, mold, or destructive factors. This has a positive effect on the service life.
The advantage is a perfectly smooth surface that is formed immediately after sanding without additional coating with varnish compounds or resinous bases. It is covered with a pattern unique to each cut. This is the tree of kings, rich people.
Speaking about pine lumber, they note that it does not require additional labor costs. Pine is easy to process, select single-textured blanks. However, ease of work requires more volume - giving evenness, choosing a certain texture.
The service life depends on the place of application. The interior installation is as durable as the larch exterior finish.
The price/quality ratio is surprisingly true in the case of softwood lumber.
- Appearance.
To create the effect of high cost, giving status to a particular object, use a tree that is exposed for the winter. It has a noble color, a unique structure, and excellent properties in terms of technical rather than aesthetic indicators.
Moreover, on boards made of more expensive materials, knot cuts are rarely visible. This is due to their virtual absence on the trunk. The only drawback is the differences in single-material blanks, but it is quite possible to select matches and create a kind of gradient.
- Application.
The scope of application is not limited. Both materials are similar. Wood is used to improve internal environmental friendliness and remove buildings (finishing, furniture, etc.) from the risk zone.
Boards made from the analyzed wood are equally hypoallergenic and are suitable for the construction of structures, auxiliary structures, and furniture creation.
Construction material
What is better as a building material - larch or pine? Many master builders know that larch is valued more than pine.
Pine is not very suitable for use in rooms with high air temperatures, for example in saunas and baths, due to the oiliness of the plant. In such places, you can get burned if the resin gets on your skin.
Advantages of larch:
- medium wood hardness group (comparable to oak);
- good resistance to chips and impacts (produce high-quality parquet);
- durable and dense (sinks in water), less susceptible to rotting;
- good water resistance (used in exterior decoration of rooms with high humidity).
There are also some disadvantages. Due to the fact that larch wood is very dense, this creates problems during construction. Trees used to be floated down the river to their destination, and larch wood, due to its high density and heaviness, immediately sank to the bottom.
In any case, larch is a unique and expensive material.
We invite you to familiarize yourself with our range of materials
Imitation timber - Extra grade
Wood Larch Width 120 mm Thickness 20 mm Length 2.5 m Qty.
in pack 4 things. 3100 rub/m2Larch lining - Extra grade
Wood Larch Width 140 mm Thickness 14 mm Length 3 m Qty.
in pack 4 things. 2400 rub/m2
What will cost more
Larch lumber is much more expensive than pine lumber. Whatever type you decide to buy for building or finishing your home, the difference in price will be quite significant. Inexpensive pine will last less, but one-time costs will not be so high. For temporary buildings, cottages, sheds, cheaper wood is quite sufficient, because after some time it can be repaired quite inexpensively. Or demolish it and build something else in its place.
But if you are determined to build a house in which several future generations will live, you should not save. Larch log houses easily overcome the hundred-year or even two-hundred-year mark without a single major repair. The investment will pay off handsomely, especially if you use the best types of wood.
A compromise option is also possible. It is better to make the most important parts of the structure and the lower crowns of the frame from larch wood. For the rest, pine lumber is also suitable - inexpensive, warm and light. The experience of dozens of generations shows that pine frames are an ideal option for our climate. A children's room or library covered with pine will look great, and from the scraps left over from construction you can build shelving, benches or stools in a popular rustic style.
If you have made a choice in favor of Siberian larch, you can order all the materials necessary for construction in our catalog. And if necessary, then include in your order means for additional wood processing and fasteners that allow you to quickly and easily assemble a ventilated facade, lay a floor or decorate the interior of a house with wood.
Decorative characteristics
Larch is a brighter and more diverse species, taking on different shades. The characteristic pattern is very beautiful and does not require additional processing. That is why floors made of this amazing wood are usually not painted, but covered with a transparent varnish. The same applies to stairs, walls, and exterior cladding. Pine is a little simpler, although the houses made from it are very light and seem to be filled with sunlight.
Pine has no equal in ease of processing, but larch wood has a heavy “character”. Even fresh lumber is difficult to work with hand and power tools, and it is sometimes impossible to drive a nail into an old beam. Parts of any shape can be cut from pine, so it is convenient to use it to create decorative elements covered with carvings.
Quality and properties of wood
Pine has a hardness on the Brinell scale of 2.5 kgf/mm², and a density of 400-500 kg/m³; for larch these indicators are 2.5 kgf/mm² and 950-1200 kg/m³. The low density of pine is both a disadvantage and an advantage. Because of it, wood has lower thermal conductivity, has less weight, but, unfortunately, it deteriorates faster under the influence of time. Larch material makes the house somewhat colder, but does not rot, and the high resin content makes it stronger every year.
Pine and larch species have different areas of application due to their properties. Experienced builders recommend not using pine boards for flooring - they will get scratched quite quickly, but they are perfect for finishing walls. Larch is appropriate everywhere: when creating a roof, on the floor, and on the walls. It can even be used to make countertops in the kitchen and bathroom.
Siberian larch sheds its needles for the winter, what else is interesting about it
Siberian larch is distributed throughout Russia from the Sea of Okhotsk to Lake Onega. It is considered the main species that forms the forests of this region.
Features of the species include:
- Unlike other types of wood, the durability of wood only increases over time, which is why it is often used in the construction of houses and shipbuilding. In museums you can find products made of larch, which over the centuries spent in the mounds of Altai have only darkened.
- A large number of Russian cities were built on this wood. In addition, it is known that even in tsarist times it was exported. So the piles of the houses of Venice were also made from this very rock;
- In addition to its deciduous nature, the plant is durable and can live from four hundred to five hundred years;
- Larch is a dioecious plant, that is, both female and male cones are located on the same tree, which is typical for many coniferous species;
- The plant tolerates not only a decrease, but also a significant increase in temperature. This feature makes it possible to grow it not only in the harsh conditions of the north, but also in the hot climate of the south. Drought, with proper care, will not harm the tree;
- The tree trunks are straight and can reach a height of thirty to forty meters. But sometimes they can exceed this size up to fifty meters with a trunk thickness of up to two.
The mechanism of shedding leaves for the winter has developed in larch as a result of climate change. Seasonal cooling significantly worsens the process of enriching the plant with water, and in the presence of green foliage this disadvantage is significantly aggravated.
To avoid the danger of dying due to lack of water and oxygen, the larch was forced to adapt.
Being an unpretentious and hardy species, larch has spread widely across many regions and areas of the globe. It is used both as a garden and industrial crop. A tree can not only decorate the site, but also ensure the longevity of the building.
Price
Pine is a more accessible type of wood than larch, as it has a lower cost. Larch has to be delivered from Siberia, it takes 3 times longer to dry, and it is more difficult to process. Therefore, if material is needed in large quantities, and the budget is limited, you should give preference to pine wood. And if you need even greater savings, you can buy imitation pine timber from us! And such high strength, which larch has, is not always needed.
We have a wide range of building materials for sale, both from larch and pine. If you are still in doubt about your choice, you can call to consult with our specialist.
