What is heart pine?
As described by the Southern Pine Council… “Southern pine lumber is composed of either sapwood or heartwood, or a combination of the two. Heartwood is the ‘dead’ or dormant center of a tree surrounded by the living sapwood. Generally, heartwood can be distinguished from sapwood by its reddish color. Its higher density also makes it harder than sapwood. In the ‘heart pine’ trade, the rule of thumb is ‘the Redder, the Better.’ Lumber cut from the heartwood of any Southern Pine species can be considered heart pine.
