Pine Beetle to Furniture

Finding New Life in our Dead Trees

With the 90 percent death rate of our trees because of the mountain pine beetle, our landscape has been forever changed. However, new uses from this new vast source of wood have created several business opportunities. One is heating pellets. Another is beautiful furniture that displays the very cause of the trees’ demise.

The mountain pine beetle carries a fungus that spreads throughout pine trees and causes dehydration, inhibiting the trees’ natural defense mechanisms. Once infested, the trees die. The fungus leaves behind a characteristic blue stain, but the stain does not affect the quality or structural capabilities of the wood and the heartwood is unchanged. Blue stain fungi are not mold and do not cause decay or rot problems. They are harmless to wood products.

Studies have found that the blue stain has no practical effect on strength properties, gluing characteristics, or adhesion of furniture finishes. In fact, a study found that the blue stain might cause some beneficial changes to the wood’s characteristics. Blue-stained wood is more easily treated with wood preservatives and fire retardants.

Since the mountain pine beetles infest only directly under the bark of a pine tree, the wood is still useful for the same wood products as uninfested wood. Trees are commercially viable for three to five years after they die.

Blue-stained lumber has been made into paneling, landscaping timbers, rails, posts, and a variety of furniture. Log homes are being built from blue-stained wood. In homes, the rich blue tint creates unique looking paneling, cabinetry, moldings, and mantels. “I’m amazed at the beauty of it,” says Kelly Johnson of Kremmling. “The natural discoloration creates beautiful contrasting colors.” Her company, Ghostwood Interiors, makes headboards, dressers, and tables of all sizes from the attractive blue-streaked wood. “The use of blue-stained wood is actually a ‘green’ use of the resource,” she says, “and the bluish discoloration makes for a most attractive product.”

For more information on furniture, contact Ghostwood Interiors in Kremmling, (970) 724-1110, www.ghostwoodinteriors.com.