Blue Pine

[Old Forester]

The bark beetle attacks the tree carrying the "blue stain" fungal spoors into the sapwood. These spoors germinate and the fungus grows causing the sapwood to stain the blue or grey color. Once the tree is cut, sawn and the lumber dried, the fungus no longer grows and so the wood is not impared except for the color. There are widespread outbreaks of the Mountain Pine Beetle in the N.W. and parts of western Canada, so we will probably see more blue stained wood available. So Janette is right. There would be no stain without the beetle introducing the fungal spores.

[RiotKayaking]

I've been working at Home Depot in the lumber department for a few months now. With out 2 or better grade pine we've got a few shipments that have bluish gray striping in it. Is this what you are calling "Blue Pine?" If so I've got a bunch of it in my basement.

*idea.... Tell my DH that the blue in the pine is a fungus... DH will put the blue pine on the 85% off cull cart. I'll buy it all dirt cheap and sell it to you folks! We all win lol

[Janette]

It is actually a fungus !! There's lots of people here hunting for the stuff and that is what we call "blue pine". You could start a good side business in this group!...especially if it's 85% off!!

[RiotKayaking]

Originally Posted by Janette

It is actually a fungus !! There's lots of people here hunting for the stuff and that is what we call "blue pine". You could start a good side business in this group!...especially if it's 85% off!!

I checked my stock of pine 1 by in my basement... Nothing "blue" I've got some pine that has heavy red striping down the middle with lots of black speckles in it though. It looks interesting, but I don't know how I should finish it. I made a cool dragon puzzle out of it that I applied a blow torch finish too though.