Exterior Finishes for Southern Yellow Pine
- Although pine is formally classified as a softwood, yellow pine is tough and strong, and can be used like a hardwood in most cases. Longleaf yellow pine tends to be dark in color and more dense than shortleaf. The wood has a close grain with alternating hard and soft streaks. It is usually cut with the grain, but quarter-sawn and rift-sawn methods, which cut across the grain, produce boards that are particularly resistant to abrasion. These cuts are especially good choices for flooring.
- Yellow pine can be stained or painted, but use of a light-bodied stain is usually preferable. Because the pigment does not absorb into the wood very well, peeling is common with paint and heavy-bodied stains. Consider the natural yellow color of the wood when choosing a stain color. Stain does not absorb evenly into yellow pine because of its mix of hard and soft streaks, so the color is likely to be blotchy if applied to raw wood. Applying a wood sealer before staining gives a more-even result.
- Staining increases the beauty of yellow pine, but does not improve its durability, so a clear finish coat is needed. For outdoor uses, a marine finish gives a good result. The product should be flexible and water-resistant, tolerant of a wide range of temperatures, and resistant to damage from ultraviolet rays.
- Wood intended for exterior uses is often pressure-treated with chemical compounds to increase its useful life. Chromated copper arsenate is the most commonly used treatment, although others are available. Unless the wood has been kiln-dried after the pressure treatment, it should not be finished until it has had time to dry thoroughly. In normal weather, this means waiting a month before using an oil-based semi-transparent stain, six months before using an oil-based solid color stain, and six months before using a water-based stain.