Pines in Canada can be classified into two groups: soft pines and hard pines. Both lodgepole pine and jack pine are hard pines. They have prominent latewood, therefore, the wood is moderately hard and heavy.

Jack pine is an important lumber species and a good source of wood chips for pulping. It is used in building construction as framing, sheathing, scaffolding and interior woodwork. Jack pine is also used for boxes and crates. Other uses of jack pine include power poles, railroad ties and treated posts. Jack pine is produced predominantly as SPF* lumber in structural grades according to National Lumber Grades Authority (NLGA) rules for dimension lumber. Select Structural, #2 and better, and stud grades are the most common grades produced. Specialty in-house grades, lamstock and export grades are also available. Appearance grades can also be produced according to NLGA rules. Clears, shop lumber and moulding stock are most common, though there are many potential appearance grades that can be produced.

* Marketed as structural lumber in the SPF (spruce-pine-fir) species mix. SPF includes lodgepole pine, white spruce, Engelmann spruce, red spruce, black spruce, jack pine, balsam fir and subalpine fir.