Green Fir
	Kiln-dried Fir (KDDF)
	Kiln-dried Hemlock (KDHF) About Douglas Fir Lumber About Hemlock Fir Lumber Fir Lumber Grade Categories Western Lumber Grades Appearance Products (part I)
	Cedar clear
	Cedar Tight Knot S4Se
	Treated -Appearance & Ground

About Douglas Fir

The massive, fine grained Douglas firs (Pseudotsuga menziesii) which grow in abundance along Canada's west coast provided British Columbia's very first cargoes of export lumber as long ago as 1865. Yet over 75 percent of the Douglas fir harvested today is still fine grained timber, characterized by exceptional strength, hardness and durability. The tree has a long, straight trunk with very little taper, and in heavy stands is free of branches for two-thirds or more of its height, yielding a high percentage of clear and near-clear wood in long lengths and large sizes. Douglas fir is the only redwood-type material still available in substantial volumes of clear wood fiber.

Even second-growth Douglas fir from British Columbia, the product of many years of reforestation, has achieved the mature characteristics and dimensions which cannot be matched by faster-growing plantation softwoods from other timber-producing regions of the world.

The combination of qualities that distinguish Douglas fir - its tough strong fiber, high strength in relation to its weight, and durability combined with dense grain structure and fine texture - gives this wood exceptional versatility. It is highly regarded and widely specified both for the most demanding structural applications and for joinery and architectural millwork of the best quality.

General Properties

Douglas fir is a straight grained and resilient timber with high strength to weight ratio. It is easily worked with machine or hand tools and possesses excellent nail holding, gluing and staining properties. Seasoning presents no difficulties under controlled conditions and the timber dries easily with negligible checking or distortion. Douglas fir is a premium building product specified by leading architects, engineers and builders for a wide range of construction projects.

Durability - Weather exposed

Douglas fir is suitable for many fully or partly weather exposed structures, such as pergolas and carports. It is also suitable for fascias, barge boards and patio posts. However, because it is not rated as a highly durable timber, Douglas fir should not be used in some external structural applications such as bearers and joists under weather exposed decks. When used in pergolas, the framing should be attached to the building rather than forming a continuation of the main building roof structure.

For weather exposed applications of unseasoned Douglas Fir, such as those outlined, some simple procedures will ensure suitable performance and service life of the structure.

Support posts clear of the ground. Minimize checked or housed joints that are not under roofing. Seal all end grain and slope ends to assist water shedding. All weather exposed Douglas fir should be well primed, finished and maintained.

Applications

Douglas fir is equally at home as concealed framing, exposed roof beams and rafters or fascias, barges, pergolas and other external structures. Douglas fir is light, attractive in appearance and can be stained or finished to match any interior décor or exterior design. It is one of the most versatile yet economical building timbers available to the general construction industry.

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About Hemlock Fir Lumber

About Hemlock

Pacific Coast Hemlock is the commercial designation given to two of British Columbia's most abundant species: Western Hemlock (Tsuga heterophylla) and Amabilis Fir (Abies amabilis). Because of their close physical and visual similarities, these species are usually harvested, processed and marketed together.

Both are strong, straight trees which grow to heights of up to 60 m and diameters of 2 m. They prune their branches as they grow, leaving clear trunks up to three-quarters of their height, a natural characteristic which produces large volumes of clear timber from the log.

The mature rain forests of British Columbia's coast provide ideal growing conditions for these quickly regenerating species. These forests remain one of the world's last abundant sources of a stable supply of large dimension clear timber.

Pacific Coast Hemlock is available in virtually any size - grade (custom or internationally recognized). It also can be cut as vertical grain (90°) or flat grain to create a unique look in either form.

General Properties Pacific Coast Hemlock -- fine-grained, timber from the mature coastal forests of British Columbia -- is fast becoming an important challenger in the traditionally hardwood-oriented industries of millwork and joinery manufacturing. Because of its density and strength, hemlock has long been used for general construction uses, such as dimension lumber. It is also widely used for Japanese post and beam house construction. This hard-wearing, versatile and attractive wood not only matches many hardwoods feature for feature and quality for quality, it also enables the astute manufacturer to capitalize on the growing trend towards light-toned woods for architectural millwork and furniture.

Applications

In doors, windows, staircases, louvered cabinets, mouldings, spindles and paneling, Pacific Coast Hemlock has already achieved an international reputation for excellence in form and function.

The overall uniformity of coloring from heartwood to sapwood, from light honey to a rich golden tan, and the wood's excellent gluing properties make it ideally suited to finger jointing, edge veneering and laminating. Where a uniform color is desired, whether used extensively or in small decorative elements, Pacific Coast Hemlock complements virtually any architectural style or design theme.

General Appearance

In assessing its durability, the term "softwood" is almost a misnomer for Pacific Coast Hemlock. This ability to survive heavy-duty use, plus its ready availability in long lengths of clear or near-clear wood, have made Pacific Coast Hemlock a preferred choice among manufacturers of extension ladders and stepladders.

Few woods accept finishes so well. The wood's close texture and freedom from pitch eliminate "bleeding" through the surface finish; and the grain pattern is sufficiently unobtrusive to accept a wide range of solid, semitransparent or clear finishes smoothly and evenly in either paint or stain. This multi-finish versatility makes Pacific Coast Hemlock excellent for matching existing millwork. The wood is equally amenable to preservative or fire-retardant treatments when required. It's ability to accept preservatives make it a very popular choice for outdoor decking and fencing.

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Fir Lumber Grade Categories

Western Wood Products Association

Grading

The WWPA grade stamp assures conformance of the graded piece with its applicable WWPA Western Lumber Grading Rules. WWPA is a certified lumber rules-writing and grading agency of the American Lumber Standard Committee, Inc. (ALSC) under the jurisdiction of the U.S. Department of Commerce. The Association is certified to grade and inspect lumber according to its own Western Lumber Grading Rules, and also to the West Coast Lumber Inspection Bureau's (WCLIB) West Coast Lumber Standard Grading Rules and the Pacific Lumber Inspection Bureau's Export R List Rules. These rules provide lumber users with a dependable measure for determining the quality and uniformity of lumber as well as its performance capabilities.

Lumber grades, assigned on the basis of visual inspection and/or mechanical testing, are divided into three basic classifications which reflect the intended end uses:

Structural lumber for residential, commercial and industrial uses is graded for its performance in load bearing or load-carrying applications. Physical working characteristics are the primary considerations and appearance is secondary. These products are typically grade stamped with the following information:

1. Registered trademark or logo of WWPA;
2. Mill name or mill number identifying the origin of the product;
3. Moisture content designation at the time of surfacing;
4. Species or species combination; and
5. Grade name.

Appearance grades are assigned to lumber intended for applications where appearance is the most important factor. These grades cover products ranging from the exquisitely beautiful to the most utilitarian. They may be sold as SELECTS, FINISH or COMMON boards, run-to-pattern for siding and paneling products, or used for a variety of purposes. The grades of appearance products are often certified by written documentation rather than marked on the lumber. Some products may be identified or grade stamped on the back side or ends, but the highest grades are rarely stamped to avoid marring the beauty of the wood.

Factory and Shop grades are assigned to lumber intended to be recut, to recover the clear portions in the piece for manufacturing into other wood products such as windows, doors and cabinets, and for molding, trim and specialty products

While there are special categories within each of these broad classifications, nearly all lumber grades fall within them. Douglas Fir products are available in all three classifications, Western Larch is available in structural and appearance grades, and many Douglas Fir products are available in special grades and sizes for international markets.

www.wwpa.org © 1997, Western Wood Products Association

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Western Lumber Grades

Western Wood Products Association

Lumber grades are divided into three basic categories:

I) Structural framing products (including dimension lumber) visually and/or mechanically (MSR) graded for their strength and physical working properties (appearance is secondary, unless specified);

II) Appearance products graded for aesthetic qualities, ranging from the exquisitely beautiful to the most utilitarian; and

III) Industrial products including a variety of structural and nonstructural grades, of which the largest category is Factory & Shop products intended for remanufacturing purposes. These products, graded to be recut for the recovery of clear pieces in predetermined sizes, are available in large volumes, mill direct to remanufacturers.

Grade Categories

I. STRUCTURAL FRAMING PRODUCTS

Dimension Lumber - 2" to 4" thick by 2" (nominal) and wider. Western Dimension Lumber design values, beginning in the Design Values section, are provided as Base Values. These values must be adjusted for size and repetitive member use, prior to adjusting for other conditions of use. Dimension Lumber grades are divided into the following classifications:

II. Structural Light Framing

(2x2 through 4x4, used where high-strength design values are required in light framing sizes, such as in engineered applications.) Grades are:

SELECT STRUCTURAL

	No. 1 & BTR (DF-L, DF & Hem-Fir species only)
	No. 1
	No. 2
	No. 3

Light Framing

(2x2 through 4x4, basic framing lumber, as used in most light-frame construction, e.g. wall framing, sills, plates, cripples, blocking, etc.) Grades are:

	CONSTRUCTION
	STANDARD
	UTILITY
	Stud

(2x2 through 4x18, an optional grade intended for vertical use, as in load bearing walls.) Grades are

STUD

Structural Joists & Planks

(2x5 through 4x18, intended for engineering applications for lumber 5" and wider, such as floor joists, rafters, headers, small beams, trusses and general flooring applications. SELECT STRUCTURAL and No. 1 may be gradestamped No. 1 & BTR in Douglas Fir, Douglas Fir-Larch, or Hem-Fir.) Grades are:

SELECT STRUCTURAL

	No.1 & BTR
	No. 1
	No. 2
	No. 3

 copyrighted by Western Wood Products Association in Portland, Oregon. Ó 1997 WWPA

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II. APPEARANCE PRODUCTS

High Quality Appearance Grades - clear and nearly-clear products, not as abundant as products with more characteristics (and priced accordingly), usually shipped as a combination of vertical or flat grain unless specified otherwise.

Selects - applies to all Western species, except Idaho White Pine (IWP). Grades are:

	B & BTR SELECT
	C SELECT
	D SELECT

Equivalent grades in Idaho White Pine

	SUPREME
	CHOICE
	QUALITY

Finish - usually available only in Douglas Fir and Hem-Fir species groups. Grades are:

	SUPERIOR
	PRIME
	E

III. INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTS

Structural Products

Mining Timbers - for shoring and bracing; timber sizes apply; no assigned design values. Grades are:

	NO. 1 MINING
	NO. 2 MINING

Scaffold Plank - only in Douglas Fir-Larch; 1/4" & thicker by 8" & wider; has assigned design values. Grades are

	SCAFFOLD NO. 1
	SCAFFOLD NO. 2

Foundation Lumber - intended for sill plates; only in Western Red Cedar and Incense Cedar; 2" & thicker by 4" & wider; one grade available; no assigned design values. Grades are:

FOUNDATION

Stress-Rated Boards - available in all Western species and suitable for special applications when lumber less than 2" thick is to have assigned design values, such as for light trusses, belt rails, horizontal bracing, rafters and box beams. The designation "SRB" will appear on the gradestamp. Assigned design values are the same as for Dimension Lumber, sizes are from nominal 1" to 1-1/2" thick by 2" to 8" & wider in width. Grades are:

SELECT STRUCTURAL (SRB)

	NO. 1 (SRB)
	NO. 2 (SRB)
	NO. 3 (SRB) CONSTRUCTION (SRB)
	STANDARD (SRB)
	UTILITY (SRB)
	STUD (SRB)

 copyrighted by Western Wood Products Association in Portland, Oregon. Ó 1997 WWPA