Altruwood's 10 1/8" Douglas fir floor is a beautiful wide plank mixed grain floor. Description. Due to its strength, it is used for building and construction, and is one of the finest timbers for heavy structural purposes, including glulam beams and roof trusses. We tried out the “FEEL-REAL” artificial tree, testing its setup, appearance, and additional features. Douglas Fir Wood Offers Soft Look Appearance. It's quite a warm colour. What’s the best way to treat this? Douglas Fir sapwood is whitish like pine. One of my friends that owns a piece of mine showed me a picture of it with all these little speckles and are wondering if it’s mold. Color/Appearance: Can vary in color based upon age and location of tree. Architectural Douglas Fir. Douglas-fir is a large tree, reaching 85 metres on BC’s coast and 42 metres in the Interior. Treated pilings and decking are used in marine structures. If you find a tree growing in the understory, you may see needles that lie flat like a grand fir. Odor: Has a distinct, resinous odor when being worked. However, it exhibits considerable morphological plasticity, and on drier sites P. menziesii var. Douglas Fir Appearance. Accepts stains, glues, and finishes well. The first way to narrow things is to pick the general coloring you want. It could be pitch. The timber lacks termite-resistance and sapwood is susceptible to lyctid borer attack. It has a conical shape, similar to that seen on spruces. Several are grown as ornamentals and are common Christmas trees in North America. Appearance Timbers #1 Structural FOHC. glauca exhibits even greater plasticity, occurring in stands of interior temperate rainforest in British Columbia, as well as at the edge of semi-arid sagebrush steppe throughout much of its range, where it generates even deeper taproots than coast Douglas-fir is capable. The mechanical properties listed represent the average values from four regions: coastal, interior west, interior north, and interior south. This is over simplified, but draw a circle and then draw the largest square inside it. Size Douglas fir's appearance and stability make it ideal for joinery, doors, millwork, window and door casings, mantels, stairs and baseboards, paneling, and flooring. Good Morning ,does anyone know how much weight can be put on a 1 and a half inch by 2 inch Pc. Western Wood Products Association 1500 SW First Ave., STE 870 Portland, OR 97201 Phone: 503-224-3930 Fax: 503-224-3935 Email: info@wwpa.org I have found that… Read more ». Comments: Named after Scottish botanist David Douglas, (though the scientific name is in honor of Archibald Menzies, who first described the tree in the 1790s). Select Grade Douglas Fir Lumber of this grade is intended primarely for use in housing and light construction where it is exposed, as paneling, shelving and other uses where a knotty type of lumber with the finest appearance is required. When dried a piece 1″x2″x12″ placed vertically can support a weight of one ton! For instance, Douglas fir appearance grades can be called Select, Finish, Common, and Alternate. Thanks for the information. Douglas-Fir is technically not a true Fir (Abies genus), but is in its own genus: Pseudotsuga. Be on the lookout for your Britannica newsletter to get trusted stories delivered right to your inbox. Mar 9th. Douglas Fir . Douglas Fir Wood Database. If in a wood stove, consider checking your stove and pipes for leaks. Some of the Douglas Firs came with a cassette tape that you can use to make him tell stories and sing additional songs. Douglas Fir Combination Ceiling pattern is typically used for interior applications or exterior areas which are covered such as entry ways and porch ceilings. In my experience, density matters. Unlike the lumber from most Hemlocks, Douglas Fir timber boasts remarkable uniformity of appearance. Pricing/Availability: Should be widely available as construction lumber for a modest price. Highly prized for its strength, durability and fine appearance, we offer a full line of kiln dried Douglas Fir appearance grade timbers and beams. One unique feature of McGee Douglas Fir is that it is "vertical grain" — this designation means that the grain of the wood is very straight and parallel with the next growth ring, which creates a quite uniform appearance and also makes the Douglas Fir less likely to warp or twist on the job. it is very use ful in engeneering and construction parts. I found that after burning this wood we, meaning my two Standard Poodles and me, couldn’t breath very well. Usually a light brown color with a hint of red and/or yellow, with darker growth rings. Although not a true fir, it is a beautiful evergreen for the larger landscape. Douglas fir, which has sometimes been called the Douglas tree, Oregon pine, and Douglas spruce, is not actually a true fir, a pine, or a spruce. It grows to more than 200 feet tall in its native habitat in the West. Appearance. The tree itself grows to be very large, and yields a large amount of usable lumber and veneer for plywood. See the picture gallery below. Douglas Fir. Wide Plank Appearance Douglas Fir flooring. Checking and knots are also to be expected. Those outside the business may have questions regarding the appearance of the timber. Suitable for applications where glulam is exposed in the finished structure, such as residences, office buildings, restaurants, and schools. 14″x5 1/2″ Snare drum I made from Douglas Fir. In fact, it is the tallest conifer in the Northwest, growing to over 300 feet (90 meters). The two basic types of Douglas Fir include coastal and Rocky Mountain varieties. Douglas fir is only moderately durable, and both sapwood and heartwood resist impregnation with preservatives. Pseudotsuga menziesii var. Are Rosewoods (and Bubinga) really banned by CITES? It grows very plentiful in the Pacific Northwest coast forests, which are governed by some of the world’s toughest environmental laws that provide protection for watersheds, soil and natural habitats. ... Douglas-Fir has been reported to cause skin irritation, nausea, giddiness, runny nose, along with an increased likelihood of splinters getting infected. Heartwood is stronger and harder by more than 25%. The timber is a light brown colour, sometimes with hints of yellow and sometimes even reddish hues. Protect from direct wind exposure for best appearance. The oldest trees can be more than 1,500 years old. Douglas fir is known for its warm hues and remarkably straight grain, making it ideal for interior finish applications. The wood is also made into railroad ties, mine timbers, house logs, posts and poles, flooring, veneer, pulp, and furniture. Get free shipping on qualified Douglas Fir Appearance Boards & Planks or Buy Online Pick Up in Store today in the Lumber & Composites Department. I bought a heavy duty bunk bad which is supposed to be douglas fir. From a distance, a Douglas-fir may seem similar to the other conifers around it. This tongue & groove pattern is reversible offering a traditional beaded repeat on one face and also a more contemporary narrow V-groove appearance … You should select the reddish heartwood fir studs when building a weight-bearing wall. Douglas fir grows tall and straight. of doug fir 2 inch tall that is hanging over a metal frame 9 inches,I am wanting to do this for floor framing for my rv trailer 16 inch on center, Than ks a very good information . In flatsawn pieces, (typically seen in rotary-sliced veneers), the wood can exhibit wild grain patterns. Used when finished appearance is important but perhaps not the overriding consideration. But if 100% of all the slats are all the same color, and none have a hint of the reddish color, that might be an indicator that it is a different species. Workability: Typically machines well, but has a moderate blunting effect on cutters. The Douglas-fir prefers moist, shady areas (such as north-facing slopes) and sheltered areas, although it’s a versatile tree that can also be found in open, rocky slopes and full sun. I didn’t connect it soon enough to stop the effects of the difficulty to breathing and the couphing, until after a couple of days. Douglas-fir is not a true fir, so the official name is written with a hyphen to differentiate it from true fir trees (such as Grand Fir). I now have found a couple of woods that my dogs and I can not use on a regular basis. It is an incredibly valuable commercial timber, widely used in construction and building purposes. Artificial trees cut down on cleanup and setup time, and they can be reused for several years—saving you money. Identifying and Using Hundreds of Woods Worldwide, POSTER: Worldwide Woods: Ranked by Hardness. Douglas Fir. Home Species Douglas Fir #1 and Better Douglas Fir #1 and Better grade in beams and stringers is defined by the WWPA as "...pieces of fine appearance suitable for exposed uses. We mill trees with 10 years to 1 inch of growth and they are hard and strong. Endgrain: Small to medium sized resin canals, infrequent and variable in distribution; solitary or in tangential groups of several; earlywood to latewood transition abrupt, color contrast high; tracheid diameter medium-large. Appearance. I have read here https://www.urbandexterous.com/characteristics-of-douglas-fir-wood/ that it offers good struggle to splitting which makes it a good lateral holder of drilled objects. Fir sapwood predominates through tree age 20 after which the proportion of heartwood increases. Many people are unaware that Douglas Fir is a Softwood and will mark / dent easily..it also has a tendency to split and crack. I’m jealous of these westerners and their perfect softwood…. The heartwood is a pale-pinkish colour and the sapwood is near white. Fluorescence: A Secret Weapon in Wood Identification, Bow Woods (from a mathematical perspective), Brazilian Rosewood, East Indian, and Other Rosewoods, Genuine Lignum Vitae and Argentine Lignum Vitae, BOOK: WOOD! Douglas fir is easily identified by the prominence of growth ring bands between the early and latewood, its pale pinkish coloured heartwood and near-white sapwood. A “Check” is a long crack that appears as the sapwood of a timber shrinks around the heartwood over time. Description. I wouldn’t be surprised that most of the 3/4″ x 3 1/2″ boards are mostly sapwood. Some trees, like the National Tree Company’s Downswept Douglas Fir, even come pre-lit and pre-decorated. With its straight grain and overall orange coloring that comes from a mixture of creamy yellow and reddish brown, it can give either a rustic or a notably modern appearance. The straight grain combines yellow earlywood and reddish latewood for a generally orange appearance. menziesii will generate deeper taproots. Neither species is technically a fir, though; instead, Douglas Firs are commonly considered hemlocks. Usually a light brown color with a hint of red and/or yellow, with darker growth rings. It is important to take the time to recognize that forests are the most interested. Does anyone know what is happening if my unfinished Fir wood gets speckles on it over time? I suppose it could be some sort of mold or fungus growth, hard to say for sure without seeing it. By signing up for this email, you are agreeing to news, offers, and information from Encyclopaedia Britannica. Cottonwood almost killed me a few years earlier when I burned it on a reguler basis. 8’ – 32’ lengths. In quartersawn pieces, the grain is typically straight and plain. https://www.britannica.com/plant/Douglas-fir. May requires some minimal finishing at the jobsite to achieve the desired exposed look. Although the appearance is similar to that of spruce, the needle tips are soft, unlike the sharp spruce needles. So many of these issues are affected by the sapwood:heartwood ratio in the fir piece used. Tree Size: 200-250 ft (60-75 m) tall, 5-6 ft (1.5-2 m) trunk diameter, Average Dried Weight: 32 lbs/ft3 (510 kg/m3), Specific Gravity (Basic, 12% MC): .45, .51, Modulus of Rupture: 12,500 lbf/in2 (86.2 MPa), Elastic Modulus: 1,765,000 lbf/in2 (12.17 GPa), Crushing Strength: 6,950 lbf/in2 (47.9 MPa), Shrinkage: Radial: 4.5%, Tangential: 7.3%, Volumetric: 11.6%, T/R Ratio: 1.6. If your growth rings are 1/4 inch each, its soft. According to the WWPA, “color, grain pattern, texture, knot type and size are the factors that influence the grade. Douglas fir is a product of nature, therefore, variations in grain and color exist. The four arc/cord pieces are mostly if not all sapwood. Shortleaf pine Due to its softness and the presence of sap and knots, yellow pine (and even some white pine) tends to be less accepting of finishes. Douglas-fir prefers acidic or neutral soils. The piece didn’t have these speckles 4 years ago when I first made it. Used for interior applications such as doors, windows, cabinets, stairs, flooring, moulding, trim, … We can buy it straight from the forest for £35.00 per ton, in the Scottish highlands, an Artic lorry load is 38 ton. burning anything green or half green is bad for anyone and bad for the chimney (creosote). Douglas-fir grows 40 to 60 feet and spreads 15 to 25 feet in an erect pyramid in the landscape. Some occasional watering in summer dry spells will help the tree stay vigorous, especially in the southern end of its range. Grain/Texture: Grain is generally straight, or slightly wavy. Douglas fir, genus of about six species of evergreen trees of the conifer family Pinaceae, native to western North America and eastern Asia. Re-sawn or surfaced, our Doug Fir timbers are dried in computer controlled, state-of-the-art, conventional kilns using low pressure steam. do you burn it outdoors for a camp fire? I had to take my oldest, Cash, to the Vet and he had to go on medication. did you make sure it was very dry and well seasoned???? Consider how a round log is converted into rectangular lumber. It’s possible that the sapwood of douglas fir would be lighter in color. Douglas-fir is an excellent specimen plant or used in mass for screening. So why isn’t Douglas fir C & Better grade the same everywhere? Rot Resistance: Douglas-Fir heartwood is rated to be moderately durable in regard to decay, but is susceptible to insect attack. Old growth or reclaimed boards can be much more expensive. You will have four arc/cord pieces and and one square. In 2016, the White House chose a Douglas fir to festoon the Obamas' final Christmas in the Executive Mansion, and for good reason: Douglas … See the articles Wood Allergies and Toxicity and Wood Dust Safety for more information. Sustainability: This wood species is not listed in the CITES Appendices, and is reported by the IUCN as being a species of least concern. I’m an artist and have used fir as a material for pyrography / woodburning images onto. FYI: I receive a commission on sales generated through links to Amazon, eBay, etc. Douglas Fir Wood-There are a lot of possibilities you can initially feel overwhelmed. Its cones have three forked bracts on each scale. coast. Douglas Fir is North America’s most plentiful softwood species, but is technically not a true fir, pine or spruce. We specialize in the appearance grades of Douglas Fir, selected from older, slow-growth timbers. Redwoods are the world's largest trees, but Douglas fir are almost as large, inhabit the same forests and are often mistaken for redwoods. Is it true? Color/Appearance: Can vary in color based upon age and location of tree. I honestly in retrospect don’t trust the company I bought from have had a hard time even getting the order…:>). Redwood vs. Douglas Fir Image: wikimedia.org Redwood trees and Douglas fir trees are distinctively different from each other in appearance. Note: all pictures are meant for a general grade description However, after the logs are processed into timber, there can be some confusion between the two types of wood. Doug Fir is distinguished by its handsome and remarkably straight grain patterns and rosy hue. Copyright © 2008-2020 Eric Meier | All Rights Reserved, https://www.urbandexterous.com/characteristics-of-douglas-fir-wood/. I noticed some of the larger pieces have the reddish look like those here, but some of the smaller(the slats) are more white in color, maybe like pine. Medium to coarse texture, with moderate natural luster. Douglas Fir Appearance. Douglas fir is commonly found as sawn timber in weather-protected heavy construction applications such as mining timbers, posts and poles. I feel awful and am wondering if I need to switch to a new material and make a new… Read more ». APPEARANCE. Douglas fir typically yields a more upscale and elegant appearance than yellow pine does. Common Uses: Veneer, plywood, and structural/construction lumber. Douglas fir Pseudotsuga menziesii. They are important timber trees and produce strong wood. These pieces get resawn into thinner lumber. (This is a monthly update, and your email will be kept private.). Allergies/Toxicity: Although severe reactions are quite uncommon, Douglas-Fir has been reported to cause skin irritation, nausea, giddiness, runny nose, along with an increased likelihood of splinters getting infected. Appearance: Douglas-fir displays prominent growth-ring bands between the earlywood and latewood. Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree.... Help support true facts by becoming a member. British Douglas Fir has a strong grain pattern and is quite knotty which gives the timber character. The Douglas-fir grows to 20-100 metres tall, but the tallest trees are only found on the B.C. I’ve really only seen it happen in pine, so I’m not sure if that’s what it is. Such a gorgeous scandinavian style floor & our most popular floor… dubbed the world’s most beautiful floor…but the most problematic that we produce. 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Commonly found as sawn timber in weather-protected heavy construction. and additional features incredibly valuable commercial,., couldn ’ t be surprised that most of the 3/4″ x 1/2″... Species is technically a fir, selected from older, slow-growth timbers of drilled objects construction such... To the other conifers around it checking your stove and pipes for leaks finished appearance is to. Strong grain pattern, texture, knot type and size are the most interested colour, sometimes hints! Circle and then draw the largest square inside it is over simplified, but is in its native habitat the! New… Read more » how can i tell if the bed is all Douglas fir…can Douglas fir is known its..., but is in its own genus: Pseudotsuga: Ranked by.. Ago when i first made it offers, and structural/construction lumber is quite knotty which the... Round log is converted into rectangular lumber Veneer for plywood douglas fir appearance requires some minimal finishing at the to.