Blue stained rough sawn yellow pine question

[jplasater]

I am looking for a rough sawn yellow pine beam for my fireplace mantle. The local sawmill says they have some pine logs but that they have been sitting out for a long time and will be blue stained when they cut them. I have seen occassional bluish stained lines in the yellow pine 1" x 4" trim that we used to trim the house. Is the sawmill talking about the same thing? What is this and will the log look good as a mantle for the fireplace. I sure would like to see a picture of a yellow pine log with blue stains. Any help of thoughts about this will be appreciated.

[alexy]

You just need to have the right perspective. It's an exotic!

[George E. Cawthon]

My built-in book cases include blue-stain yellow pine, but I stained it a dark brown color. I looked for a left-over unstained board but couldn't find one. Blue stain is more gray than blue, and tends to be streaky, so if you are interested in the bright yellow of yellow pine and expect a bright blue stain, you will be disappointed, it will be mostly a speckled gray. Also, the blue-stain is much softer than the unstained parts. If you plan on staining it, you will find that whatever stain you add it will be much darker wherever the blue stain is. Although people pay higher for blue-stain, I don't understand it. Also, I can't imagine a yellow pine mantel that doesn't look yellow.

Course we could be talking about different yellow pines and the fungus that makes the blue/gray color could produce quite different effects depending on species of tree.

[George E. Cawthon]

salesmanship, but do you tell the customers that the wood is very soft?

[jplasater]

Thanks for the replys. I looked up the web site and then did a search on denim pine. The owner of the sawmill said that his logs had just sat out quite a while and that under those circumstances some kind of mold had grown and probably spread through the log. Is this the same thing? He said that a log that had been freshly cut would not have this coloration. It looks like the denim pine is the result of a beetle.

[George E. Cawthon]

It is the result of a fungus. The denim pine was probably killed by beetles and then stood there and the fungus started growing. Dead standing or dead lying down, the blue stain is still caused by a fungus. The resultant streaks of blue, however, may be somewhat different because orientation when the fungus was growing.

[Edwin Pawlowski]

I have some wood that was used as dunnage in a shipping container from Korea. I thought the stains made it a cheap grade and the reason it ended up as bracing/dunnage. I guess I'm sitting on a real prize now that I know is as a premium wood. Damned good salesman that denim guy.

[alexy]

_I_ don't tell them anything. Sorry that I forgot the disclaimer. I have nothing to do with this outfit, just got that cite when I asked a similar question.

And I would not tell anyone that southern yellow pine is very soft; AFAIK, it is one of the hardest of softwoods, harder than many hardwoods.

[John B]

have to be close to the top of the pile. Suppose there is one born everyday. :) Disclaimer;-No disrespect meant to any in this group. :) regards John

[George E. Cawthon]

Uh, lots of misunderstanding here.

First, I was referring to the Denimpine guy, not you, but that may not have been clear. Second, the Denimpine guy wasn't selling SYP cause it doesn't grow up there. It is likely, Ponderosa pine or lodgepole pine and the blue stain will be very soft. The original poster didn't indicate what species, just yellow pine, maybe he was referring to SYP, but I don't know if blue stain occurs in SYP.

[George E. Cawthon]

Exotic is a bit excessive, but preferred by some and willing to pay a higher price for blue stain is true. I think the higher price has to do with the increased stain holding capability.

[alexy]

My workbench is evidence that it does.

[John B]

George, You could be right. I tend to hide the blue stains if I can or chuck it if I can't. Will have to start making it a feature ;) all the best John

[Pat Barber]

More than you "ever" wanted to know about "blue stain fungi"

some suitable wood for your mantle. SYP is not a friendly wood in heat and changing humidity conditions.

I would look for a large piece of bass wood or maybe even p> I am looking for a rough sawn yellow pine beam for my fireplace

[jplasater]

[jplasater]

[jplasater]

[Wally]

I remember seeing this called Ponderosa pine.

[John B]

That was an interesting article. Ponderosa sounds like a pretty decent timber. In Oz. we generally use Radiata Pine, It has a very distinctive grain and generally lots of knots and faults. You can, however, with a bit of patience sort through the stacks and get some pretty decent stuff. Regards John

[John B]

From and artical Wally pointed me to. "As with other pines, Ponderosa can be subject to blue stain if a felled tree or green lumber becomes too warm before it is dried. Blue stain does not affect strength and is admissible in some of the lower grades. It can be hidden with paint or enhanced with clear finishes depending on user preference." Regards John