What causes blue stain on pine trees?
About Blue Stain Pine (Beetle Kill Pine) Beetle Kill Pine is the result of blue stain fungus that spreads from bark beetles to Lodgepole Pine, Douglas Fir, and Whitebark Pine trees. The blue stain pine fungus works symbiotically with the beetles by turning the tree wood into nutrients.
Is it safe to use blue stain on pine wood?
The price was right but the wood is full of blue stain. Is it safe to use this wood for painted projects or as a secondary wood? Blue stain is a common fungus that infects the sapwood of freshly sawn boards causing a blue discoloration in pine.
What is blue pine wood?
Blue pine is a term coined to describe pine lumber, usually from lodgepole pine trees, that has been infected and killed by the mountain pine beetle. Click to see full answer. Furthermore, what causes blue stain in pine wood?
What is blue stain and what can it be used for?
There seems to be a lot of confusion on what Blue Stain is and what it can be used for. Although the Blue Stain comes from a fungus, it does not in any way alter the structural integrity of the wood. Blue Stain will perform like any other wood siding product. It is NOT a mold and is harmless to humans.
What makes blue stain pine?
The coloring of Blue Stain Pine most commonly occurs from a fungus carried by the Mountain Pine Beetle. The beetle bores into the wood, infecting the tissue with fungus, which softens it and makes it easier for the beetle to burrow and lay its eggs.
What does blue pine look like stained?
0:091:37T&G Blue Stain Pine - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipThe reason blue stain pine is so popular is because of the variety of colors. Expect to see whitesMoreThe reason blue stain pine is so popular is because of the variety of colors. Expect to see whites grays blues and even reds mixed in to the wood.
What is blue pine?
Blue pine is a term coined to describe pine lumber, usually from lodgepole pine trees, that has been infected and killed by the mountain pine beetle. Lodgepole pine is found in the northwestern United States and western Canada. The mountain pine beetle attacks sick or weak trees.
Should you stain blue pine?
By staining Beetle Kill Blue Pine, you can add even more personality to this gorgeous wood. Choosing the right stain will bring out the character and personality of the wood, making it perfect for floors, walls, cabinet or even tables and other furniture projects you may have.
Is blue stain a lumber defect?
Blue stain is caused by fungi that grow in sapwood and use parts of it for their food. It is not a stage of decay, although the conditions that favor blue staining also very often lead to infectionwith decay-producing fungi. Excepting toughness, blue stain has little effect on the strength of wood.
Is Blue Pine good for furniture?
Blue pine wood furniture will definitely stand out from other pieces of furniture in your home and will have a unique story behind it as well. Blue pine furniture has a rustic, timeless feel to it, and there's no other wooden furniture quite like it.
Is Blue treated pine safe?
Is it safe? Yes. Hyne Timber treated framing products are safe for all mammals, including humans.
What is blue stain wood?
A bluish or grayish discoloration of sapwood caused by the growth of certain dark-colored fungi on the surface and in the interior of the wood; growth is made possible by the same conditions that favor the growth of other fungi.
What is blue pine used for?
Pinegard Blue is used as an important element in termite management systems south of the Tropic of Capricorn. The use of blue pine framing in combination with ground-level termite management systems, regular maintenance and inspections provides highly effective, long-term protection against termites.
What does blue on lumber mean?
What makes the lumber blue? Blue stain is a common cause for the discoloration of lumber. Certain dark-colored microscopic fungi cause a bluish or grayish discoloration in the sapwood of the tree.
What type of tree is blue pine?
Spruce Spruce treesSpruce. Spruce trees are one variety of pine tree that produces blue-colored needles. There are around 40 species of spruce on the planet, and a number of them have leaves that are either bluish-green or a grey and blue color.
What is beetle wood?
Beetle kill wood is lumber that has been salvaged from trees killed by the Mountain Pine Beetle, which attacks several species of western evergreens but is causing unprecedented damage to the Lodgepole Pine, native to elevations between 6,000 and 11,000 feet above sea level.
Why is my pine stain blue?
Blue stain is caused by a fungus (m old). It doesn't matter if the stain is caused by a beetle, stacking green boards together to encourage the fungus, pine logs cut in the summer and staining in the yard or in stacks of stickered pine. Once you kiln dry it there probably will be no problem as long as the wood stays dry.
What causes blue stain?
People (some and not all) are indeed allergic to fungi spores and not just mold or mildew spores. From the original questioner: Actually it does matter. Blue stain is caused by a fungus (mold).
Do blue stained wood spores exist?
Spores are present in the air. Spores are not present inside the blue stained wood. So if you made paneling or flooring form blue stained wood there would be no more spores on the wood then in the air. There are more spores in carpet then anywhere else not counting all the bad chemicals to make it.
Is blue stained wood a defect?
It's a defect because you can't sell a lot of it, not because you can't sell any of it. From contributor L: There is a small mill near where I live (12 employees) that specializes in wood siding and molding. The blue stained wood has been a big seller with them for years. From the original questioner:
Is blue stain moldy?
Blue stain is a sap stain and is not mold. The SPIB does not count it as a defect and no strength loss. Mold grows on wood above 20% MC and thus the SPIB has set the standard for Kiln dried wood below 19%. Spalted wood is moldy and where the color comes from and it does weaken the wood.
What causes a pine board to turn blue?
A: Blue stain is a common fungus that infects the sapwood of freshly sawn boards causing a blue discoloration in pine. The infestation most often occurs during the summer months when freshly sawn boards are exposed to the open air before kiln drying. The color can range from a striking blue to a dull gray or black.
Is blue stain a fungus?
Mr. Petersen told us that blue stain is a non-destructive fungus that has little or no effect on the structural integrity of the wood, so it is safe to use in terms of strength.
How do you get blue stains out of wood?
Blue stain can be somewhat lightened by wood bleaches or lighteners such as oxalic acid or common household bleach (sodium hypochlorite), but it cannot be eliminated by bleaching.
Is there blue stain?
Blue Stain is also known as sapstain since it occurs in the sapwood of a log and not in the heartwood. It is caused by several types of fungi that only infect green or very moist logs. Although called blue stain the colors these fungi produce can be blue, purple, gray, brown, yellow, orange and occasionally red.
What is Sapstain?
Blueing, blue stain or sapstain are terms used to describe wood that shows blue to greyish-black stains on its surface, caused by wood-staining fungi. Sapstain is considered a fault in timber and will be taken into account when sorting.
What causes dry rot?
Dry rot is wood decay caused by certain species of fungi that digest parts of the wood which give the wood strength and stiffness. It was previously used to describe any decay of cured wood in ships and buildings by a fungus which resulted in a darkly colored deteriorated and cracked condition.
How do you get pine sap out of upholstery?
Step 1: Scrape off any excess tree sap from the upholstery, making sure not to spread the stain further. Step 2: Mix a solution of two cups cool water and one tablespoon dishwashing liquid. Step 3: Using this solution, sponge the stain caused by the sap with a clean white cloth.
Why is toluidine blue useful for this protocol?
The use of the stain toluidine blue provides a colour difference between lignified and non-lignified cell walls, clearly highlighting specialised cells and one adaptation they have. This experiment provides a quick and eye-catching way to teach about the vascular tissue in plants and the structure of plant stems.
What is the difference between red and blue treated pine?
H2 'Blue' is used in areas south of the Tropic of Capricorn, while H2 'Red' is used north of the Tropic of Capricorn as additional protection against a ferocious local termite. H2 treated pine is specially treated to protect against borers and termites and is suitable for interior, above-ground use only.
How to tell if wood is blue stained?
However, for a simple test to determine whether or not a piece of lumber is blue-stained or growing mold, lightly rub the affected surface of the wood. Mold grows on the surface and can be brushed off or smeared, where as blue stain penetrates deep into the wood and cannot be removed.
What causes a blue stain on a tree?
Blue stain is a common cause for the discoloration of lumber. Certain dark-colored microscopic fungi cause a bluish or grayish discoloration in the sapwood of the tree. However, not all blue stains are blue. Common stain shades can be blue to bluish black or gray to brown.
How to avoid sawdust?
Wear eye protection and a dust mask when sawing or machining lumber. Avoid prolonged inhalation of sawdust. When the work is completed, wash areas of skin contact thoroughly before eating or drinking. Wash clothing that accumulates sawdust separately from other household clothing and. before reuse.
Can blue stain be used on non-stained lumber?
Because blue stain does not detract from the strength properties of dimension lumber, blue-stained lumber can be used for exactly the same purpose as non-stained lumber.
Is blue stain decaying?
Blue stain is not a decay fungi. Blue stain fungi live on the nutrients stored in the cells of the wood, not on the cellulose fibers of the tree itself.
Does blue stain affect structural lumber?
Blue stain has no effect on the performance and strength of lumber. Structural lumber is not downgraded due to the presence of blue stain and should not be labeled inferior lumber.
What is blue stain?
There seems to be a lot of confusion on what Blue Stain is and what it can be used for. Although the Blue Stain comes from a fungus, it does not in any way alter the structural integrity of the wood.
Is blue stain moldy?
Blue Stain will perform like any other wood siding product. It is NOT a mold and is harmless to humans. The unique character that the Stain adds to the wood is what adds its appeal. Adding even a basic clear finish adds a look that is unmatched by almost any other wood siding product.
What is the biology behind blue stain in beetle kill pine?
The term symbiosis comes from the Ancient Greek “syn” — “with” — and “bíosis” — “living” — and is the close and often long-term interactions between different biological species. Often this interaction is obligate, in that neither can live without the other.
How does blue stain fungus help beetles?
This is its means to travel to new trees. The fungus helps the beetle by stopping the tree from producing its natural defense resin, and the beetles are hence able to mine and lay eggs while avoiding the tree’s defenses.
How do pine beetles kill trees?
How they kill. Pine beetles kill trees by boring through the bark into the phloem layer on which they feed and in which eggs are laid. Female beetles initiate attacks, producing attractants that cause more beetles to come to the site, and then they stage a mass attack.
What is the beetle that attacks pine trees?
The mountain pine beetle begins attacking most pine species on the lower 15 feet of the trunk. They need adequate food, found in large-diameter trees, for their population to build up. After the larger lodgepole pines are killed, beetles infest smaller and smaller trees, where phloem is thin and excessive drying occurs.
What do mountain pine beetles look like?
Infested trees usually shows pitch tubes which look like dark-red masses of resin mixed with boring dust that looks like fine sawdust.
When do MPB larvae leave lodgepole pine?
The great majority of beetles exit lodgepole pine during late July. One or more beetles will make an exit hole from which several adults will emerge.
How long does it take for pine needles to fade?
Needles on successfully infested trees begin fading and changing color several months to one year after the trees have been attacked. Predators of the pine beetles probably play a role in reducing beetle numbers during endemic periods but do not control the beetles during epidemics.
