Hello there!
We are expanding our house and will also replace the panel on the old part (metal). Now we need to choose between norrlandsvirke or smålandsvirke and I would love to get comments from you.
I've read/heard here and there that norrlandsvirke is supposed to be better and we can get it for an extra 4000 SEK for the whole house (170m2 area). What do you think?
We are expanding our house and will also replace the panel on the old part (metal). Now we need to choose between norrlandsvirke or smålandsvirke and I would love to get comments from you.
I've read/heard here and there that norrlandsvirke is supposed to be better and we can get it for an extra 4000 SEK for the whole house (170m2 area). What do you think?
It doesn't matter.
There are plenty of myths out there, "norrlandsvirke" is one of them. If you use high-quality pine (joinery wood), it might have some significance for knot type and annual ring width, etc., but not for panel wood, which is usually made of spruce.
If you can get hold of pine (or larch) with a high heartwood content, it is better from a decay standpoint, regardless of where it comes from.
Whether the panel rots or not has more to do with how it's installed, distance from the ground, painting, etc., as well as the climate it is exposed to.
There are plenty of myths out there, "norrlandsvirke" is one of them. If you use high-quality pine (joinery wood), it might have some significance for knot type and annual ring width, etc., but not for panel wood, which is usually made of spruce.
If you can get hold of pine (or larch) with a high heartwood content, it is better from a decay standpoint, regardless of where it comes from.
Whether the panel rots or not has more to do with how it's installed, distance from the ground, painting, etc., as well as the climate it is exposed to.
Generally speaking, one can say that timber from Norrland tends to be of higher quality because quality depends on the growth rate of the tree. The harsher the climate, the slower the tree grows, resulting in closer annual rings. However, it's not just about where in the country the tree has grown but also the type of soil it has grown in. A lush south-facing slope isn't ideal, whereas a sparse north-facing slope yields better timber. In practice, it might be difficult to distinguish between timber from Norrland and Småland. If you want to ensure the timber's quality, you should probably inspect the woodpile yourself rather than rely on someone else! Additionally, one can say that a plank/board/beam that is twisted to the left (grown counterclockwise) is not ideal either. It tends to twist much more than a right-twisted or, best of all, a straight board. However, that's a bit difficult to see once the log is sawn 
There is research showing that spruce from Småland is better than northern spruce in terms of strength. The difference is not big, but contrary to what most people believe and what the sellers say. Trees should not grow too slowly, with too narrow growth rings, as that results in 'svältved' which is worthless. However, for panel wood, it makes minimal difference unless you use fast-growing spruce from Skåne with growth rings of 10-15 mm.