Douglas fir lumber is considered to be one of the best woods for projects ranging from furniture to home building. The douglas fir tree has a distinct look before it is cut and is still recognizable after it is trimmed into lumber. This wood's qualities for strength and durability give it high grades. Due to these high grades it finds many uses, especially by green builders that recycle old wood.
Douglas firs are a member of the evergreen tree family and get their name from Scottish botanist David Douglas, who is believed to have first classified the trees. These trees are found primarily in North America. Douglas firs are considered softwood and are actually a popular type of Christmas tree.
When these trees are harvested and cut into pieces, the lumber is considered one of the finest types of wood in the building industry. It is renowned for its strength and durability. Specifically, it has received the highest softwood lumber grades for its ability to bend, tension parallel-to-grain, horizontal sheer, and compression. All these factors make douglas fir lumber particularly adept at resisting harsh weather and also easy to nail and bond together.
Douglas fir lumber is used in many different industries. One of its most common uses is in the construction world, thanks to its aforementioned strength. Structural beams are commonly made of douglas Fir and are known to bear enormous weight loads. Another aspect of construction where this wood is popular is in flooring and paneling. Douglas Fir is popular because of its light color and straight grain patterns, making it visually appealing.
The aircraft industry also utilizes douglas fir lumber. Most commercial aircraft are constructed from metal, so fir is primarily used with home built planes. Douglas fir rose to popularity in the airplane industry because the more popular spruce wood became increasingly difficult to acquire.
One particularly green industry that has embraced this wood is the architectural recycling business. Reclaimed douglas fir lumber is a popular item for builders seeking to provide an antique look to projects. Beams, planks and posts are routinely rescued from buildings scheduled for demolition. Due to the douglas fir's strength and ability to combat weather, many buildings that were constructed decades ago still have usable wood that reclaiming companies resell.
By Patrick Wensink