SCI Joinery Gallery
Timbers - Douglas Fir

Back to all timbers

English name, Douglas-fir. Internationally known and sold as Oregon pine. Remarks, Also a crop tree grown for the construction industry. This tree yields much more timber than Spruce or Fir, also it is stronger and is more resistant against decay or insect attack. British grown Douglas Fir is not as good as native grown due to the short Winter months and high rainfall. Family, Pinaceae. Genus, Pseudotsuga. Species, Pseudotsuga menziesii. Age, 600-800 years old. Some on record are 1400 years old. Height,.60m, in UK. 100m in native region. The tallest on record is 127m, which was felled in British Columbia in 1895. Tree shape, Narrowly conical. Leaf Type, Evergreen. Leaves shape, Linear 3cm long rounded and blunt. Flowering, May-June. Flowers colour, Male yellow/Female flushed pink. Fruit, A red brown, hanging cone, 10cm long, with three pointed bracts projecting from between scales. Bark, Purple brown thick brown fissures. Native region, West, North America. Natural habitat, Evergreen forests, on moist mountain slopes, up to 2,600m. Weight, Air dried 550 kg/m3. Maturity, 15-20 years. Soil type, Sandy, loam or clay. Wood type, Softwood. Timber colour, yellow-brown/red-brown darkens with age. Durability, Moderately durable. Home grown Slightly durable.(1 very durable, 2 durable, 3 moderately durable, 4 slightly durable, 5 not durable). Treatable, Extremely difficult. (Easy, moderate easy, difficult, extremely difficult). Moisture movement, Small. Texture, Medium. Environmental, Not listed as an endangered species. Availability, Readily available at good timber merchants. Cost, Medium.