Category: Douglas Fir

• Jan 2,
  2012

  Douglas Fir – In a League of It’s Own

  There are very few trees that grow in large stands, produce very serviceable lumber that can be used in hundreds of applications and at the same time exhibit the warmth and beauty that quality wood products are known for. Douglas Fir is one of those exceptions.

  Douglas Fir (a.k.a. Doug Fir)  trees grow in a very large native range starting in British Columbia, Canada south along the U.S. Pacific Coast Ranges and to the Rocky Mountains. Because of the vast supply and amazing versatility of Doug Fir, it is probably used more frequently than any other individual species grown in North America. Douglas Fir lumber is straight grained and considered to be one the strongest of the softwoods. Common uses for Douglas Fir lumber include fir flooring, fir timbers, fir beams, fir boards and dimension lumber, fir door and window frames as well as for  a variety of heavy construction and industrial uses.

  As a Douglas fir tree ages and competes in the forest for natural resources and growing room, they become very narrow and cone shaped at the top after loosing their lower branches. Douglas firs mature at 40 to 80 feet tall and 12 to 20 feet wide, but can tower between 130 and 200 feet in height in a very crowded forest.

  Many woods have unique coloring and smell characteristics when freshly cut and Douglas Fir is one of those woods. Douglas Fir can exude a sweet smelling resin on the ends and sides, and there are sometimes even streaks of resin or pitch pockets in the grain of the wood. In volume, this resin, which is used commercially to make turpentine and varnish, is a source of the identifying odor of cut Douglas Fir. The unique smell will usually fade away in time and exposure to ultra-violet rays. At the same time, Douglas Fir will start to become a beautiful rosy red or reddish yellow color.

  In the Northeast United States Douglas Fir is often used for interior and exterior flooring options. The high quality straight vertical grain of Douglas Fir wood offers high wear resistance as well as a low degree of shrinking and warping. Vertical grain Douglas Fir flooring does not expand or contract nearly as much as other species and it is also ideal for damp or moist conditions. When specifically cut from Douglas Fir logs, flooring products are usually graded as “C & BTR”. This grade while highly useful allows for more admissible natural characteristics (defects) than “B & BTR Select”. “B & BTR Select” is a more desirable choice when buying Douglas Fir Flooring as the low initial cost premium usually is off-set by more years of service than commonly used “C & BTR”.

  Depending on the given need, Douglas Fir can be used for structural applications, interior millwork items like cabinets or wainscoting when natural beauty and warm hues are desired. Douglas Fir also machines well and can generally hold most  types of stains and finishes well. With the ability to be used both indoors and out, Douglas Fir is the one of the most versatile and dependable materials for nearly any building project.

  

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