Scientific Name
Psuedotsuga menziesii
Other Names
Douglas spruce, Douglas yew, Oregon pine, yellow Douglas fir, Puget Sound pine, red fir, red spruce
Family
Pinaceae, the pine family
Geography
Douglas fir extends from British Columbia and western Alberta down through the Pacific Northwest and into northern California, Idaho, western Montana, Wyoming, Utah, Colorado, Arizona, New Mexico, into Mexico and western Texas. It attains the best growth in Washington, Oregon and British Columbia in the region between the coast and the Cascade Mountains.
Properties
The heartwood of Douglas fir is yellowish to light reddish-tan with an orange hue. The sapwood is almost pure white and seldom exceeds 3 inches in width. The grain is normally straight but it can have a tendency toward curly or wavy characteristics and is attractive when manufactured into rotary-cut veneer. Compared to other North American woods, Douglas fir has the highest strength to weight ratio. It is also remarkably free of knots.
Workability
The heartwood of Douglas fir is moderately resistant to decay and is relatively difficult to treat with preservatives but it glues satisfactorily. It holds latex paint well but not oil based. The wood is brittle and splits easily. It works well with machine tools but is rather difficult to work with hand tools unless they are in excellent condition.
Uses
Douglas fir is used mostly for building and construction in the form of lumber and plywood. It is used quite often in railroad crossties, cooperage stock, mine timbers, poles, fencing, pallets, boxes and crates. You can sometimes find it as flooring, furniture, and ship and boat construction.
Price Level
Readily available, low to medium price range
