Is Pine a Hardwood? Janka Ratings for 8 Pine Species (2026)

Pine is a softwood, not a hardwood: it comes from cone-bearing conifers, and the label describes the tree, not the wood. Hardness still varies enormously. On the Janka scale, eastern white pine measures 380 lbf, longleaf pine 870 lbf, red oak 1,220 lbf, and balsa, a true hardwood, only 67 lbf. This guide ranks eight pine species against hardwoods and shows which pine suits flooring, furniture, and staining.

Is Pine a Hardwood or Softwood?

Pine is a softwood. Woodworkers sort lumber into hardwood and softwood by the kind of tree it comes from. Hardwoods come from broadleaf trees (angiosperms), which enclose their seeds, and most of them drop their leaves each year. Softwoods come from conifers (gymnosperms), which carry seeds in cones, and pine is a conifer. The words describe botany. They do not measure how hard the board is. For a wider look at how the categories work, see our guide to the main types of wood.

Feature	Hardwood	Softwood (pine)
Tree type	Broadleaf, most are deciduous	Conifer, cone-bearing, mostly evergreen
Common examples	Oak, maple, walnut, cherry, poplar, balsa	Pine, spruce, fir, cedar, yew
Seeds	Enclosed (angiosperm)	Open, carried in cones (gymnosperm)
Hardness	Anywhere from 67 lbf (balsa) upward	Anywhere from 380 lbf (white pine) to 1,600 lbf (Pacific yew)

That last row is the one that matters in the shop. The softest commercial hardwood and the hardest softwood sit at opposite ends of the Janka scale from where the names would put them, which is why “is pine a hardwood?” is really two questions: what category is it, and how hard is it. The category answer is softwood. The hardness answer depends on the species, covered next.

Pine Janka Hardness Rating by Species

The Janka test measures the force needed to press a steel ball into a board, in pounds-force (lbf). A higher number means a board that resists dents better. All values below are from the Wood Database, measured on dry lumber, and they are sorted from softest to hardest.

Pine species	Janka (lbf)	Dried weight (lb/ft3)	Typical uses
Eastern white pine	380	25	Millwork, boxes, carving, construction lumber
Sugar pine	380	25	Easy-to-work pattern and millwork stock
Ponderosa pine	460	28	Trim, cabinetry, sheathing, boxes
Red pine	560	34	Construction lumber, utility poles
Jack pine	570	31	Framing and general construction
Loblolly pine	690	35	Joists, trusses, subflooring (southern yellow pine group)
Slash pine	760	41	Heavy construction (southern yellow pine group)
Longleaf pine	870	41	Stringers, joists, piles, subflooring

The spread is 380 to 870 lbf, a gap of more than double inside one genus. Pine that dents when you press a fingernail into it is usually eastern white or sugar pine. Pine sold for structural work, the southern yellow pines (loblolly, slash, longleaf, and shortleaf), is a different material. Lumber sold simply as “pine” can be either, so ask which species you are buying.

Where Pine Falls Against Hardwoods and Other Softwoods

The chart below puts pines on the same ladder as hardwoods. A common claim online is that a southern yellow pine matches red oak at around 1,225 lbf. That figure is close to red oak’s own rating of 1,220 lbf, not longleaf pine’s. Longleaf pine, the hardest pine in the table above, measures 870 lbf.

Wood	Class	Janka (lbf)	Dried weight (lb/ft3)
Balsa	Hardwood	67	9
Eastern white pine	Softwood	380	25
Yellow poplar	Hardwood	540	29
Douglas fir	Softwood	620	32
Loblolly pine	Softwood	690	35
Longleaf pine	Softwood	870	41
Red oak	Hardwood	1,220	43.8
Hard maple	Hardwood	1,450	44.0
Pacific yew	Softwood	1,600	44

Three things stand out. First, yellow poplar, a hardwood, rates 540 lbf, so red pine (560), jack pine (570), loblolly (690), slash (760), and longleaf (870) are all harder than it. Second, longleaf pine weighs 41 lb/ft3 against 43.8 for red oak, nearly the same, yet it is about 71 percent as hard (870 divided by 1,220). Weight alone will not tell you how well a board resists dents. Third, Pacific yew is a softwood at 1,600 lbf and beats hard maple, while balsa is a hardwood at 67 lbf. The classification and the hardness number simply do not predict each other.

If you are comparing cone-bearing woods, our guide to fir wood and what it is used for covers another common softwood that is often sold next to pine.

What Makes One Board of Pine Harder Than Another

Species and Density

Species is the biggest factor, as the table shows. Within a species, denser boards with tight, even growth rings tend to be harder, so two boards labeled the same species can still feel different. Look at the end grain: narrow rings packed closely usually mean a firmer board than wide, fast-grown rings.

Moisture Content

Janka numbers are quoted for dry wood. Wet or green pine is softer and dents more easily, and it shrinks as it dries, so let construction lumber acclimate to your shop before building furniture from it.

Knots and Grain

Knots are denser than the surrounding wood and can be harder to cut and sand, while the clear areas between them are softer. That alternating pattern of soft and firm zones is also a main reason pine takes stain unevenly. For outdoor projects, see our comparison of finishes for outdoor pine, and for what the grain and knots look and feel like, our guide to pine wood texture.

Pine vs Hardwood: Which Should You Choose?

For most projects the useful question is whether pine meets your needs, not whether it is technically a hardwood. This table matches common projects with a sensible choice.

Project	Pine works?	Better option if not
Painted furniture, shelves, trim	Yes, paint hides grain and small dents	Poplar for a smoother painted finish
Stained furniture	Yes with a pre-stain conditioner or gel stain	Oak or maple take stain more evenly
Flooring in a busy room	Southern yellow pine only, expect dents (870 lbf at best)	Red oak (1,220 lbf) or hard maple (1,450 lbf)
Framing and structure	Yes, southern yellow pine is a standard choice	Rarely hardwood
Carving and hand-tool work	Yes, eastern white and sugar pine cut easily	Basswood for fine detail
Outdoor use	Only treated or well-finished, pine is not naturally rot resistant	Cedar or a rated treated lumber

Pine is also usually cheaper per board foot than oak or maple, which is why it dominates budget furniture and shop projects, though prices vary by region and grade.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is pine a hardwood or softwood?

Pine is a softwood. It comes from cone-bearing conifer trees, which is the botanical definition of a softwood. Hardness does not change the category: pine ranges from 380 lbf for eastern white pine to 870 lbf for longleaf pine, yet every pine remains a softwood.

Is pine harder than oak?

No. Red oak measures 1,220 lbf on the Janka scale and the hardest pine in our table, longleaf, measures 870 lbf. Eastern white pine at 380 lbf is only about 31 percent as hard as red oak. Pine is harder than some hardwoods, though: longleaf pine beats yellow poplar at 540 lbf.

Is there any pine that counts as a hardwood?

No. Every true pine is a softwood. Southern yellow pine, which includes loblolly, slash, longleaf, and shortleaf, is the hardest group, but it is still classified as a softwood. Some people call dense pine “hard pine” in conversation, which describes its strength, not its botanical class.

Can pine be used for flooring?

Yes, pine flooring is common, but it dents more easily than oak or maple. Choose a southern yellow pine for traffic areas and reserve soft species like eastern white pine for low-traffic rooms. Expect visible wear over time, and finish with a durable topcoat.

Is pine good for furniture?

Yes, especially painted pieces, rustic designs, and budget builds. It is light, widely sold, and easy to cut and sand. It dents easily and stains unevenly, so use a pre-stain conditioner or a gel stain if you want a natural wood look.

Why does pine stain blotchy?

Pine has alternating soft and dense grain areas that absorb liquid stain at different rates, which leaves dark patches. Apply a pre-stain wood conditioner before staining and follow the can’s directions for wait time, or use a gel stain that sits near the surface.