Most likely to bleed resin into paint?

• A. Pine
• B. Cedar
• C. Oak
• D. Maple

Answer: (A)

Resin bleed into paint happens when a wood species has enough resin that it migrates to the surface and into the finish. Pine is a softwood with relatively high resin content and many resin canals, so under heat, moisture, or with certain finishes, the resin tends to migrate and appear in the paint film. That makes pine the most likely to bleed resin among common cabinetry and framing woods.

CedAR also contains resin, but bleeds less predictably than pine. Oak and maple have much lower resin content, so they are far less prone to this issue.

To prevent resin bleed from pine, use a stain-blocking primer such as a shellac-based primer and ensure the wood is properly dried and sealed before topcoating.