Difference between cedar and pine. How to distinguish cedar lining from pine? How to identify pine from cedar

Currently on the market finishing materials There are many types of lining available. Paneling made from pine and cedar of various varieties has become widespread. In this article we will look at some of the features of lining made from Altai cedar, and also tell you how to distinguish it from materials made from other types of wood.

This lining is unique in its own way, since the Gorno-Altai cedar, from the wood of which it is made, grows exclusively in the Altai mountains; it no longer grows in any other regions of Russia or the world. Untouched nature, the special climatic and geophysical conditions in which these trees grow give the wood special and unique properties. Residents of these places believe that these trees emit positive energy, drive away evil spirits and improve human health. Scientific research confirm that Altai cedars have a whole range of distinctive features and it is not for nothing that they have been considered extraordinary and very valuable since ancient times.

According to data obtained from scientific research, Altai cedars, compared to other Siberian cedars, have almost 2 times the density and higher strength indicators. In terms of wood's resistance to rotting, it is superior not only to such a popular material as pine, but is also identical to larch, which is recognized as practically the standard for this parameter.

Now let's move on to the question of how lining made from Altai cedar differs and how not to confuse it with materials from other types of wood.

First of all, you should pay attention to the color. It should have slightly pinkish tints; by the way, after a while your cedar lining will darken a little and acquire a reddish-pink color, which will give the interior nobility and make it more sophisticated.

Second characteristic– an indescribable aroma, you will not confuse it with anything else, it is a fairly strong and very pleasant pine smell with unique notes inherent only to this breed.

The lining made from Canadian cedar, unlike our Altai cedar, is darker, the color is close to brown or deep red, the smell from the wood is barely perceptible. Far Eastern or Karelian cedar is slightly brown in color, just like its Canadian counterpart does not have a strong aroma, so it is difficult to confuse these species with their Altai relative if you carefully choose.

A separate question is how to distinguish Altai cedar lining from pine? Everything is quite simple - cedar wood is much lighter, it has a smoother and more uniform texture. Despite the fact that pine also emits a noticeable pine aroma, it is not as pleasant and strong as cedar. The pine smell should be familiar to you if you have eaten pine nuts, and once you smell it, you can’t confuse it with anything else. Also, in pine wood large quantity resins, which not only worsens appearance, but also makes this material unsuitable for finishing a steam room.

So, let's repeat the key features linings from Gorno-Altai cedar:

• color;
• texture;
• resinousness;
• smell.

Based on the above, we recommend that you take a responsible approach to the choice of finishing materials and turn your attention to cedar lining and imitation timber from Tsar-Kedr, which have a number of amazing qualities.

The choice of material such as cedar board, pine or aspen - a very responsible task. It’s quite easy for an ignorant person to make a mistake in this matter, so before you start buying lumber, you should read this article.

What is the board made of - aspen, cedar and others

You can recognize the type of lumber by its characteristic color and pattern. Of course, only a specialist can distinguish, for example, a Christmas tree from a pine tree, but an aspen board will be noticeably different from them both in color and structure. They also differ in properties. Boards from coniferous species wood, unlike aspen, is not suitable for finishing steam rooms, as it will release resin for a long time. Secondly, the difference in price can reach several times. So, how can you determine which board is in front of you and what it is used for?

Cedar board. In fact, boards that are called cedar are very rarely made from real cedar. The fact is that in Russia cedar is the name given to Siberian cedar pine, which, by and large, has nothing in common with real cedar, growing, for example, in Lebanon. But it is almost impossible to find material from this tree, and the price will be, to put it mildly, rather high. It is quite difficult for a non-professional to distinguish boards made of Siberian cedar from ordinary pine. It is believed that the wood of the first is slightly reddish, but this, unfortunately, is not always the case. Therefore, the most reliable way to recognize “cedar” is to smell it. The smell should be very bright and persistent. However, to make sure that what you are looking at is not pine, it is best to take a specialist with you when you go shopping.

Unlike other conifers, cedar wood does not rot, and in strength can be compared with stone or metal. Cedar boards do not burn, and one of the main enemies of wood - wood-boring beetles - simply bypasses it. The density of Siberian cedar boards is low, so it is impossible to make any important structures from it.

Pine boards, along with spruce boards, are the most popular lumber. As a rule, at construction sites such boards are sold mixed - that is, you may find both spruce and pine. Many experts believe that spruce is still preferable, since it is less susceptible to rotting and better retains accumulated heat. You can distinguish lumber from these two types of wood by the number of knots - there will be much fewer of them on spruce boards than on pine boards. Their scope in construction is extensive. They are used to make formwork, rafters, sheathing, and subfloors. In addition, pine and spruce wood is the most popular material for the manufacture of various moldings (platbands, baseboards, layouts, etc.), window and door blocks, and lining.

Aspen board. Most often, such boards are used for finishing steam rooms, since they, unlike conifers, do not release resin when heated. In addition, aspen lumber does not rot in a humid environment, and, according to many experienced bath attendants, they “take away” old steam. Such wood can be distinguished not only by its denser structure and whitish color than that of spruce and pine, but also by its light, slightly bitter odor. However, you need to smell the aspen properly - if it has a hint of vanilla, it means the tree has begun to rot.

Marking of boards and their grades

To determine the grade of a particular coniferous edged board or timber, there are special standards. They include the number of knots, cracks, wormholes and other defects. The highest, so-called “zero” grade implies their complete absence, so it is very rare on sale and is expensive. The sizes of boards and beams, both premium and other grades, can be different - from 22x100 to 250x300 mm.

A certain number of “live” knots are allowed in first grade boards, but other defects, according to the standards, must be absent. Lumber of the second and third grades may have wood from the core of the tree. In addition, third-grade wood may contain so-called fungal core spots, that is, areas infected with wood-destroying and wood-coloring microorganisms. There is also wood of the fourth grade, but it is not recommended for use in construction. You can also find so-called unedged boards on sale. They can be distinguished by the wane (remnants of bark) on the edges. Such boards are not sorted.

Hardwood is divided into first, second and third grade boards. In general, a grade 1 board should be as high quality as a coniferous “null” board. A board of grade 2, therefore, roughly corresponds to first-grade coniferous wood, and grade 3 is second-grade. Marking will also help you find out what type of lumber. The highest grade (for softwood lumber) is marked at the end with one horizontal stripe.

For both coniferous and deciduous materials, the first, second and third grades are indicated by one, two or three dots or vertical stripes, respectively.

Types of boards - variety of materials

In addition to edged and unedged boards, you can find other materials on sale:

• Lining;
• batten;
• block house;
• imitation timber.

Let's look at each of them in more detail.

The lining is a tongue-and-groove plank, polished on one or both sides, with a thickness of 12.5 to 22 mm. The individual elements of this lumber are joined together using the “tenon-to-groove” principle. It can be either industrial or (less commonly) natural drying. Lining is used for finishing cladding of ceilings and walls both indoors and outdoors.

Floor board - pine, aspen, etc. Unlike lining, it is thicker (from 28 to 40 mm). As a rule, it is sanded only with front side. On the “underside” of the floorboard, special grooves are made to relieve tension from the wood during operation. Unlike lining, the groove of which does not fully fit into the tenon, thereby forming a coating pattern, individual floorboards are fixed tightly together, without any gaps.

Imitation timber and blockhouse. Just like lining, these lumber are intended for wall cladding and are joined according to the same principle, the only difference is in the profile of the boards themselves. After installation, the imitation timber coating resembles a wall made of real planed timber with a rectangular cross-section. If a blockhouse is used for finishing, then the wall will turn out exactly the same as from a rounded log.

So, having understood the varieties and grades of lumber, you can confidently go shopping without fear of being deceived. The saying that knowledge is power is true in this case as well.

Cedar and pine are two trees that belong to the same Pine family. Despite their external similarity, both plants have a number of significant differences.

Definition

Cedar is a genus of trees in the Pine family, which consists of only a few species.

Lebanese cedar

Pine is a genus of trees in the Pine family, numbering about 120 species.

Comparison

Cedars are common within the subtropical climate zone– Mediterranean, mountain Crimea, Himalayas. Therefore, there are only a few types of these plants - Lebanese, Himalayan and Atlas cedar.

Pines are common in temperate and subtropical climate in Eurasia and North America. Today there are about 200 species of pine trees on Earth. Pines are evergreens. Depending on living conditions, they look like large trees with a crown different shapes, and miniature shrubs.

Cedar is a monoecious plant reaching 50 meters in height. The tree is evergreen and has a characteristic, spreading crown. The needles are arranged spirally, collected in bunches of 30-40 pieces each. An individual needle resembles a needle. It can be triangular or tetrahedral, painted in a special emerald-steel color.

Pine is a monoecious plant with long or short needles. From two to five long needles are collected in a bunch, the number of which forms the basis of the taxonomy of pine trees. When damaged, rosettes form on the tree, from which short needles grow. The color of the green mass of pine depends on the climate and soil quality, and therefore varies from light silver to intense green.

Cedar cones are located singly, “stick out” like candles, and have a special barrel-shaped shape. Such a cone ripens in the second or third year of its formation. This seed incubation organ is characterized by the presence of numerous, spirally arranged scales, to which tiny ones are attached - only 15% of the total weight of the cone! - winged seeds. The embryo of the future cedar consists of 8-10 cotyledons. When a seed falls into the soil, a new cedar sprout is able to grow - “hatch” in just 3 weeks.

Pine cones have a characteristic oblong shape, do not “stick out”, but hang sadly from the branches. While the seed is ripening, the scales fit very tightly, but upon ripening they open, “releasing” the seeds. For each scale there are a pair of winged or wingless seeds. A very small pine embryo has from 4 to 15 cotyledons. Germination time depends on the type and geographical location of the plant.

Due to its greater distribution and number of species, pine is used more intensively by humans.

Conclusions website

1. The number of pine species is tens of times greater than the number of cedar species.
2. The distribution area of ​​pine is much wider than that of cedar.
3. The morphology and size of pine are much more diverse than cedar.
4. There are more needles in a cedar bundle than in a pine bundle.
5. Pine trees have more economic importance for humanity.

Clear January day. The snow sparkling under the sun blinds the eyes, and there is such silence around, as if the whole world had plunged into a heavy, uninterrupted sleep. And this dream is guarded by formidable warriors - majestic Siberian cedars. Leonid Maksimovich Leonov compared this to an epic cliff rising in the middle of a green ocean, at the sight of which “the hat itself falls off your head with respect.” amazing tree. Its scientific name is Siberian pine. Real cedars - Lebanese, Himalayan, Atlas, Cypriot - grow in North Africa, the Himalayas, the Middle East and the island of Cyprus. These are powerful trees with very valuable, pleasantly smelling wood, on the shortened shoots of which there are 30-40 needles. Why is Siberian pine often called cedar? Yes, for their special status, longevity, impressive size, fragrant wood: the pioneers of Siberia and North America any tree with a pleasant smelling wood was called cedar in the simplicity of the heart.
Contemporary of A. S. Pushkin, expert on Siberian forests, naturalist and local historian V. Dmitriev in the article “ Siberian cedar“In 1818 he wrote enthusiastically: “Be proud, places beloved by the sun, be proud, O heights of Lebanon, of your cedars: not having seen you in my fatherland on the motherland that belongs to Russia, I do not dare to dignify you, but in my eyes the shady cedar of rich Siberia He will not yield to you in his beauty and will replace you for me. What majesty is in the bearing of this tree, what a sacred shadow in the density of its forests!..”
Siberian pine is significantly different from Scots pine, although they are close relatives. One of the differences concerns the seeds: in Scots pine they are small, with wings, while in Siberian cedar they are the well-known nuts. Their color is brown, they are covered with a peel and a thin inner shell, under which there is a white oily core. A large cone contains more than a hundred seeds.
The second difference concerns the needles: cedar has longer needles that last longer on the tree, and there are 5 needles in one bunch, while Scots pine has two. Cedar is distinguished by a more powerful cone-shaped dark green crown. And he lives one and a half to two times longer - up to 800-850 years.
The height of Siberian pine is 35-43 meters. Its trunk is brown-gray; old trees have fissured bark. The shoots are yellow-brown, covered with long red hairs. Root system is formed depending on the nature of the soil and soil.
At the end of spring, the cedar pine becomes dusty and at this time looks especially elegant: the crimson-colored male spikelets are clearly visible against the background of dark green needles in the middle and lower parts of the crown. And at the top there are female cones, oval, purple, collected in 2-7 pieces at the terminal bud of the shoot. In plantings there are sometimes trees with only male spikelets. Pollination occurs with the help of wind. In September next year cones with seeds ripen, the shape of which can be ovoid, elongated-ovoid, cylindrical or cone-shaped. Outside, the seeds are covered with durable scales strung on a thick rod.
Siberian cedar is winter-hardy, thanks to which it reaches far to the north. Its artificial plantings can be found in Arkhangelsk and Murmansk regions, in particular on the Solovetsky Islands, the island of Valaam.
At the same time, the Siberian giant is undemanding to the soil, successfully tolerates both excess and lack of moisture, but prefers areas with sufficient moisture, so it grows well at the sources and along river valleys.
Cedar pine plays an important role in natural complex Siberia. It has been established that the drainage in cedar trees is several times greater than in other forests. It is not surprising that waters filtered by cedar tracts supply Baikal with water and nourish powerful rivers Siberia - Ob, Yenisei, Lena.
In addition, Siberian pine forests reliably protect soils, especially mountainous ones, from erosion. Cedar tracts located on mountain slopes Southern Siberia, play vital role in the formation of biological and climatic processes. So, they are rich in all kinds of living creatures. In years of abundant seed harvests, the numbers of sable and squirrels increase sharply. Forest inhabitants - jays, nutcrackers, squirrels, chipmunks - have become adept at deftly extracting nuts from cones. And the bears, holding the pine cone with their paws, tear off the scales with their fangs - the nuts are exposed and go into the mouth without interference.
The existence of 70 species of mammals, 200 species of birds, and many species of insects is associated with cedar trees. Special mention should be made about the nutcracker bird: by feeding on the seeds of the Siberian pine and making provisions for the winter, it contributes to the spread of the cedar. According to experts, if he did not have such a reliable partner, he would hardly be able to survive to this day.
People receive great benefits from this unique, beautiful tree. The well-known cedar balsam, used in instrument making, as well as turpentine, rosin, varnishes, and camphor are made from cedar resin.
Wood Siberian pine- straight-layer, light, durable, easy to process, not susceptible to rotting, - used in the production of pencils, drawing boards, musical instruments. The Germans were the first to discover the high resonant qualities of cedar wood. German trading companies that purchased cedar oil in Russia suddenly demanded that it be exported in containers made of cedar wood, and the thickness of the container boards was almost doubled. It subsequently turned out that when the boxes of oil arrived in Germany, they were very carefully broken down and the cedar planks were sent to musical instrument factories. Thanks to this, trading companies selling cedar oil had a very significant additional income.
Cedar trees highlighting essential oil, which has bactericidal properties, improves the health of the air and gives it a refined aroma. In dishes made of cedar wood, milk does not sour for a long time, and in chests made of cedar planks moth won't start. Residents of the Cis-Ural region have long preferred Siberian pine for finishing their homes; the considerable thickness of the wood made it possible to obtain wide boards suitable for making solid doors. In many cities of Siberia and the Urals - Turinsk, Tyumen, Tobolsk, Tomsk - buildings decorated with intricate wooden laces carved from cedar boards have been preserved. And in one of the churches in Tobolsk, an iconostasis was built from cedar.
Cedar pine needles contain a lot of ascorbic acid, macro- and microelements. It is used to make vitamin flour and carotene paste used in animal husbandry. A persistent brown dye is obtained from cedar bark, tannins are extracted, and thermal insulation boards are made.
But perhaps the most significant for humans are the seeds of the cedar pine, which are tasty and nutritious. They contain 60-70 percent of beautiful golden-yellow oil, which has nutritional and technical significance, up to 20 percent of protein, which is similar in amino acid composition to egg, about 12 percent of carbohydrates, a complex of vitamins, and a rich set of macro- and microelements. Cedar oil is not inferior in quality to the famous olive oil; it is used not only by cooks, but also by artists - many famous masters diluted their paints with it.
Pine nuts are healing- help with atherosclerosis. A ethnoscience recommends using not only kernels, but also seed shells, young shoot tips, buds, needles, resin...
Since ancient times, since the times of Ivan the Terrible, Siberia has been the largest supplier of pine nuts to the world market. According to historians, they were sold to Persia, China, Sweden and other countries. In 1786, academician P. S. Pallas wrote: “In Switzerland they use pine nuts in pharmacies; Milk is made from them, which is prescribed for chest diseases... Because of their insightful, thin, partly balsamic oil, they are better, which is why they claim that they were usefully consumed by Czech people...” The main suppliers of nuts were the Tobolsk and Yenisei provinces.
The peoples of Siberia have long had great respect for valuable plant, they considered him sacred, the guardian of goodness, truth and justice. In the Surgut region (Khanty-Mansiysk National District, Tyumen Region), when laying the foundation for a new house, residents placed a small cedar pine tree in the front corner, saying: “Here is a warm house and a shaggy cedar!” The tree remained in the house - it was considered the habitat of the brownie.
According to Evenki legends, cedar helps to live honestly and selflessly, and is a source of strength, beauty and nobility. At the birth of a son, the Evenks planted cedar pine near their homes, and when a daughter was born, they planted a birch tree. The legends and fairy tales of the Nanai people of the Amur region say that only good spirits because she is the most generous tree. Emphasizing important of this plant, the Siberians used to say: “The taiga is alive with cedar.” They believed that if a child is given a handful of pine nuts every day, he will grow up to be a good young man, and no illness will overcome him.
There are many mysteries about the cedar pine: “It stands tall, it hangs curly, it’s shaggy at the edges, it’s sweet in the middle!”, “Don’t hit me, don’t break me; climb on me: I have it!”
Currently, cedar forests occupy about 40 million hectares, or about 5 percent of the territory covered by forests. This makes it possible to collect 1-1.5 million tons of pine nuts in Siberia, but only about 20 thousand tons are harvested. Foresters have identified early-ripening, large-cone, high-yielding forms of Siberian pine. To breed them, plantations are created in which cuttings taken from high-yielding plants are grafted onto young seedlings. A hectare of such plantings yields 500-600 kilograms, and in some cases 1.5-2 tons of nuts.
Cedar pine plantations are beginning to appear in the European part of the USSR. However, its closest relative grows here - the European cedar pine, listed in the Red Book of the USSR. This rare relict species is found only in the Carpathians. On Far East another relative of the Siberian pine lives - Korean cedar, distinguished by larger cones and needles, stronger and thicker seed shells. Forests containing Korean pine occupy about 4 million hectares in our country. Outside the USSR, the tree grows in eastern China, Korea and Japan.