hello, currently I am in the process of building my own house out of all standing dead lodgepole pine. We (my girl and I) have purchased a sawmill in order to take advantage of all the western pine beetle killed trees we have access to here in central idaho. It just seems crazy for us to import lumber to the forest where we live. Anyway, as far as standing dead pine goes, It seems to me that as long as it isn't spiral checked or rotten it is a viable building material. Just make sure you oversize everything due to pine's relative weakness.
Steve K.
