Is Douglas Fir A Hardwood Or Softwood

Examples of softwood trees are cedar douglas fir juniper pine redwood spruce and yew.

Is douglas fir a hardwood or softwood.

Such a gorgeous scandinavian style floor our most popular floor dubbed the world s most beautiful floor but the most problematic that we produce. Douglas fir is a large tree reaching 85 metres on bc s coast and 42 metres in the interior. The oldest trees can be more than 1 500 years old. However douglas fir which is a gymnosperm or softwood is actually harder than chestnut an angiosperm that most people would call a hardwood.

Red oak wood is almost exactly twice as hard as douglas fir wood and white oak wood is even harder. Most hardwoods have a higher density than most softwoods. Softwood is typically less expensive compared to hardwood. Hardwood is typically more expensive than softwood.

Spruce pine fir south this species combination classed as moderately strong is cross continental in origin. Many people are unaware that douglas fir is a softwood and will mark dent easily it also has a tendency to split and crack. The heartwood is light tan to medium brown changing to orange brown due to exposure to sunlight and age. 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.

Straight grained and moderately heavy with limited resin this is one of the most attractive and strongest of the western softwood species. It is a very durable wood which is used extensively in industrial applications for wharves trestles and heavy construction. The heartwood is moderately decay resistant. That reasoning doesn t apply in every instance but in this case it does.

Douglas fir has a high bending strength shear strength and stiffness. Most softwoods have a lower density than most hardwoods. Wikimedia commons douglas fir is another softwood that plays a vital role in making furniture and several other wooden items. Balsa is a hardwood but its wood is so soft and lightweight that it s most commonly used for making model airplanes.

It dries evenly and stays stable during use. It is a hard species and is suitable for use where wear is a factor. You may not find this wood as readily as pinewood as it mostly comes only from the west coast or eastern asia. Douglas fir douglas fir wood image.