Question
I'm about to mill out a bunch of 6"X8"X24' with tongue and groove and dovetail notches for the corners using Southern yellow pine. Please feel free to make recommendations on the shoulds and should nots using SYP.
Forum Responses
(Sawing and Drying Forum)
From Professor Gene Wengert, forum technical advisor:
Spiral grain, compression wood, high density, and warp (twist and sweep) make SYP one of the least favored species for log cabins.
| Common Lumber Name | A | B | C |
| Hardwoods | |||
| Alder, Red | 9.9 | 19.2 | 2506 |
| Apple | 10.9 | 31.7 | 4132 |
| Ash, Black | 9.3 | 23.4 | 4132 |
| Ash, Green | 14.3 | 27.6 | 3590 |
| Aspen, Bigtooth | 10.3 | 18.7 | 2439 |
| Aspen, Quaking | 10.3 | 18.2 | 2373 |
| Basswood | 6.2 | 16.6 | 2174 |
| Beech, American | 8.9 | 29.1 | 3793 |
| Birch, Paper | 8.8 | 25.0 | 3260 |
| Birch, Sweet | 11.9 | 31.2 | 4065 |
| Birch, Yellow | 9.2 | 28.6 | 3723 |
| Buckeye | 8.9 | 17.2 | 2235 |
| Butternut | 11.3 | 18.7 | 2440 |
| Cherry | 13.8 | 24.4 | 3184 |
| Chesnut, American | 11.6 | 20.8 | 2708 |
| Cottonwood | 8.5 | 16.1 | 2102 |
| Dogwood | 6.8 | 33.3 | 4331 |
| Elm, American | 10.2 | 23.9 | 3116 |
| Elm, Rock | 12.2 | 29.6 | 3860 |
| Elm, slippery | 11.5 | 25.0 | 3251 |
| Hackberry | 11.8 | 25.5 | 3319 |
| Hickory, Bitternut (Pecan) | 14.7 | 31.2 | 4062 |
| Hickory (True) | |||
| Hickory, Mockernut | 9.1 | 33.3 | 4332 |
| Hickory, Pignut | 9.3 | 34.3 | 4332 |
| Hickory, Shagbark | 10.9 | 33.3 | 4333 |
| Hickory, Shellbark | 6.6 | 32.2 | 4195 |
| Holly, American | 8.3 | 26.0 | 3387 |
| Hophornbeam, Eastern | 7.9 | 32.8 | 4266 |
| Laurel, California | 15.1 | 26.5 | 3456 |
| Locust, Black | 21.2 | 34.3 | 4470 |
| Madrone, Pacific | 7.8 | 30.2 | 3925 |
| Maple (Soft) | |||
| Maple, Bigleaf | 12.8 | 22.9 | 2980 |
| Maple, Red | 13.1 | 25.5 | 3318 |
| Maple, Silver | 12.4 | 22.9 | 2981 |
| Maple (Hard) | |||
| Maple, Black | 12.3 | 27.0 | 3523 |
| Maple, Sugar | 12.3 | 29.1 | 3793 |
| Oak (Red) | |||
| Oak, Black | 11.7 | 29.1 | 3792 |
| Oak, California black | 16.4 | 26.5 | 3455 |
| Oak, Laurel | 6.3 | 29.1 | 3791 |
| Oak, Northern red | 13.6 | 29.1 | 3793 |
| Oak, Pin | 13.0 | 30.2 | 3928 |
| Oak, Scarlet | 13.2 | 31.2 | 4065 |
| Oak, Southern red | 9.6 | 27.0 | 3520 |
| Oak, Water | 10.4 | 29.1 | 3793 |
| Oak, Willow | 6.4 | 29.1 | 3790 |
| Oak (White) | |||
| Oak, Bur | 15.4 | 30.2 | 3928 |
| Oak, Chestnut | 10.1 | 29.6 | 3858 |
| Oak, Live | 17.5 | 41.6 | 5417 |
| Oak, Overcup | 10.7 | 29.6 | 3860 |
| Oak, Post | 11.0 | 31.2 | 4063 |
| Oak, Swamp chestnut | 10.7 | 31.2 | 4063 |
| Oak, White | 10.8 | 31.2 | 4062 |
| Persimmon | 7.0 | 33.3 | 4332 |
| Sweetgum | 8.9 | 23.9 | 3115 |
| Sycamore | 10.7 | 23.9 | 3115 |
| Tanoak | 9.0 | 30.2 | 3926 |
| Tupelo, Black | 10.4 | 23.9 | 3116 |
| Tupelo, Water | 12.4 | 23.9 | 3115 |
| Walnut | 13.4 | 26.5 | 3454 |
| Willow, Black | 8.6 | 18.7 | 2438 |
| Yellow-poplar | 10.6 | 20.8 | 2708 |
| Common Lumber Name | A | B | C |
| Softwoods | |||
| Baldcypress | 13.2 | 21.9 | 2844 |
| Cedar, Alaska | 14.4 | 21.9 | 2844 |
| Cedar, Atlantic white | 10.9 | 16.1 | 2100 |
| Cedar, eastern red | 16.4 | 22.9 | 2981 |
| Cedar, Incense | 13.1 | 18.2 | 2371 |
| Cedar, Northern white | 11.1 | 15.1 | 1964 |
| Cedar, Port-Orford | 12.6 | 20.2 | 2641 |
| Cedar, Western red | 12.2 | 16.1 | 2100 |
| Douglas-fir, Coast type | 12.3 | 23.4 | 3049 |
| Douglas-fir, Interior west | 13.2 | 23.9 | 3116 |
| Douglas-fir, Interior north | 14.0 | 23.4 | 3048 |
| Fir, Balsam | 9.9 | 17.2 | 2236 |
| Fir, California red | 10.6 | 18.7 | 2437 |
| Fir, Grand | 10.7 | 18.2 | 2371 |
| Fir, Noble | 10.1 | 19.2 | 2507 |
| Fir, Pacific silver | 10.4 | 20.8 | 2711 |
| Fir, Subalpine | 10.5 | 16.1 | 2101 |
| Fir, White | 12.2 | 19.2 | 2506 |
| Hemlock, Eastern | 12.6 | 19.8 | 2573 |
| Hemlock, Western | 11.5 | 21.8 | 2847 |
| Larch, Western | 11.3 | 25.0 | 3251 |
| Pine, Eastern white | 12.3 | 17.7 | 2303 |
| Pine, Lodgepole | 11.5 | 19.8 | 2576 |
| Pine, Ponderosa | 12.6 | 19.8 | 2573 |
| Pine, Red | 12.2 | 21.3 | 2777 |
| Southern yellow group | |||
| Pine, Loblolly | 12.9 | 24.4 | 3183 |
| Pine, Longleaf | 15.0 | 28.1 | 3658 |
| Pine, Shortleaf | 12.9 | 24.4 | 3183 |
| Pine, Sugar | 12.6 | 17.7 | 2302 |
| Pine, Western white | 10.0 | 18.2 | 2370 |
| Redwood, Old growth | 14.9 | 19.8 | 2573 |
| Redwood, Second growth | 13.2 | 17.7 | 2302 |
| Spruce, Black | 11.3 | 19.8 | 2575 |
| Spruce, Engelmann | 10.0 | 17.2 | 2234 |
| Spruce, Red | 10.6 | 19.2 | 2506 |
| Spruce, Sitka | 10.8 | 19.2 | 2506 |
| Tamarack | 12.0 | 25.5 | 3318 |
