DouglasFir - Sierra Pacific Industries

1 Facts aboutfacts aboutDouglasFirDouglasFirDouglas Fir, a distinctive North American tree growing in all states fromthe Rocky Mountains to the Pacific Ocean, is probably used for morelumber and lumber product purposes than any other individual speciesgrown on the American total douglas Fir sawtimber stand in the Western Woods Region isestimated at 609 billion board feet. douglas Fir lumber is used for allpurposes to which lumber is normally put - for residential building, lightand heavy construction, woodwork, boxes and crates, industrial usage,poles, ties and in the manufacture of specialty products. It is one of thevolume woods of the Western Woods ClassificationDouglas Fir was discovered and classified by botanist David douglas in1826. Botanically, it is not a true fir but a species distinct in itself knownas Pseudotsuga taxifolia.

2 In the Western Woods Region, douglas Fir treesare found at elevations of 1500 feet and higher, they grow to maximumdiameters of more than seven feet and heights of 200 douglas Fir grows most frequently in pure stands, it is oftenintermingled with other species of the Region - Idaho White Pine,Ponderosa Pine, Sugar Pine, Western Larch, White Fir, Lodge Pole Pine,Engelmann Spruce, Western Hemlock, Incense Cedar and Western RedCedar. In the Inland Empire area (eastern Washington, northern Idaho,western Montana and northeastern Oregon), where douglas Fir is loggedand manufactured with Larch, many mills combine the two into acommon product known as Fir and Larch or Larch- douglas on mature douglas Fir trees is usually a deep yellow-green;needles are 3/4 inch to 1-1/2 inches long.

3 Bark is ridged, deeply furrowedand a very dark gray-brown in color. Cones vary from 1-1/2 to 4-1/2inches long and are a cinnamon or douglas Fir is a prolific seed producer. Individual trees favorablylocated bear seeds nearly every season. Seeds average 44,000 per poundwith an average germination of 50 Fir is straight grained and moderately heavy. Although classed asa resinous wood, the amount of resin is limited. The sapwood ring isalmost pure white and very narrow. Heartwood is orange-red and thecolor contrast between springwood and summerwood is quite wood weighs 31 pounds per cubic foot and specific gravity is at12 percent moisture content. Pound for pound, douglas Fir is one of thestrongest of the softwoods. Its load bearing capacity equals many mildsteels and, of course, it is considerably lighter in weight.

4 Its strengthmakes it the nation s first-line wood for structural the WesternWoods Region, douglas Fir treesare found atelevations of 1500feet and higher,they grow tomaximumdiameters of morethan seven feet andheights of 200 ,stiffness, load-bearing capacityand nail-holdingpower of DouglasFir of the WesternWoods Regionmake it a favorableframing and Stringers as well as Posts and Timber grades includeSelect Structural, Construction, Standard and Utility. Light Framinglumber is divided into Select Structural, Construction, Standard,Utility, Economy, 1500f Industrial, and 1200f Industrial grades,giving the user a broad selection from which to lumber is graded according to the rules for all species, andseparated into Factory Select, No. 1 Shop, No. 2 Shop and No. 3 Shop in 5/4 and thicker and into Inch Factory Select and No.

5 1 andNo. 2 Shop in 4 Fir is manufactured by a large number of Western WoodsRegion sawmills and is widely distributed throughout the UnitedStates and foreign countries. Obtainable in straight car lots, it canalso be purchased in mixed cars together with an assortment of theWestern Pines and other species of the the consumer, it may be secured at most retail list of douglas Fir manufacturers, complete grading rules orfurther information, write:Western Wood Products AssociationYeon BuildingPortland, Oregon 97204 douglas Fir is oneof the nation s fineststructural permanence,strength,dimensionalstability and highnail-holdingtenacity have led toits use inwarehouses, factorybuildings, bridgesand other structuressubject to heavy material has been reproduced with the permission of the Western Wood Products published it is moderately heavy, douglas Fir will shrinkmore in drying than most woods of lighter shrinkage when dried from a green statedown to 12-15 percent moisture content is percent,compared to the softwood range of a moisture content compatible with surroundingconditions.

6 douglas Fir will stay in place well andundergo a minimum of shrinkage and Fir ranks approximately midway among allcommercial softwoods in nail-holding ability. Saferesistance to withdrawal of eight-penny nails drivenperpendicular to the grain into seasoned stock is 28pounds per lineal inch of length, while other softwoodsrange from 17 to 39 pounds. Blunt-pointed or ordinarycommon nails are recommended because douglas Fir,of relatively high specific gravity, tends to split morereadily than softer textured wood works readily with machine tools, and, iftools are in good condition, easily by a successful, lasting paint finish on douglas Fir, thewood should have a moisture content of from 12 to 15percent, or as close to the prevailing humidity aspossible.

7 Care should be exercised in selection of thepriming coat. White lead or aluminum paint Fir sapwood can be treated very , due to its density, does not easily absorbpreservatives but depth of penetration secured issufficient for most practical purposes. Where greaterpenetration is desired, incising is usually Fir has an exceptionally long use life evenunder conditions favoring decay; heartwood is rated inthe upper bracket by the Forest Products Laboratory fordurability under decay-fostering conditions. Inglueability, it is rated in Group 2, next to the raw strength with delightful grainconfiguration, douglas Fir is suitable for the heaviest ofstructural work to the finest of high-grade finishpurposes and for the many utility uses in Fir, carefully manufactured, seasoned andgraded, may be used economically and successfullythroughout residential and light commercialconstruction.

8 Used in accordance with its propertiesand with proper installation, it will give many years ofsatisfactory most popular use in home construction is in framing- for posts, beams, joists, studs and rafters - comprisingthe bones of the house. Properly seasoned, it staysstraight and, with its strength, stiffness and nail-holdingability, provides superior dollar-for-dollar value in thismost important feature of the sheathing and subflooring, second to framing instructural importance, douglas Fir provides stiffness,straightness, nail-holding power, and low shrinkageand expansion coefficients. The same properties applyto concrete forms, a bi-purpose item used to moldconcrete and then applied to the building as sheathingor of properly dried douglas Fir presents anattractive appearance and meets the durability recordsof virtually every other wood species commonly usedin contemporary house building.

9 For interior paneling,trim and cabinetwork, it renders efficient, long-lastingservice with a minimum of maintenance. Paneling inclear grades is particularly desirable for present-daymodern Fir is one of the most popular and serviceablesoftwood floorings known. Finished naturally orpainted, it is highly suitable for a variety of installationsand is widely used under linoleum or ConstructionDouglas Fir stands unsurpassed for heavy structuraltimbers. It is one of the strongestwoods per pound of weight inthe softwood field. Wherestrength is the primary factor, douglas Fir meets allrequirements, and itsstraightness, ease of fabricationand availability in a wide rangeof sizes and stress grades furnishbonus posts, beams, stringers, joists,bracing, flooring and decking,rafters, roof decking, and for themany different members thatmake up trusses for factory andwarehouse roofs, it is the perfectheavy-duty is also the first-choice woodmaterial for railroad use - ties,bridges, trestles, buildings,general maintenance and rollingequipment including car lining,siding, decking and nailing ability, dimensionalstability under stress, decayresistance and sheer toughness.

10 Account for its long history of highperformance in the railroad timbers and plankingconstitute another major use forDouglas Fir. Growing in andaround western mining areas, it isavailable near use sites at markedtransportation cost economies, of its strength, economy,finish appearance and availability, douglas Fir finds nearly as manymiscellaneous uses as there are for lumber of allspecies. It is excellent for all of the many odd jobsabout the farm requiring stout material. For barncornices, siding, boards and battens, chicken housesand feeders, cribbing, barn flooring, flumes, pens, gatesand fences, chutes, granaries, troughs, hog houses andsheds, it furnishes the rugged durability necessary tohard farm stock for fabrication into finished articles it issuccessfully used for cabinets, doors, door frames,windows and window frames, interior trim, ironingboards, gates and fences, mouldings, furniture, ladders,lattice work, swings, toy stock and many other woodspecialty crating, the high nail-holding ability andexceptional strength make douglas Fir a primarymaterial.