Is Douglas fir OK for decking?
Turns out Douglas fir is more than just a good-looking wood. Its durability and resistance to rot and insects make it a favorite choice for outdoor projects like porch decking as well. It’s also naturally resistant to rot, decay, and insects.
Is fir a good wood for decks?
Pressure Treated Wood Decking, Cedar Wood Decking, and Douglas Fir Wood Decking are all good choices, and the most economical in the short term. However, their lifespan is nearly half that of Mahogany woods. Pressure Treated Wood Decking is the most economical initially, followed by Cedar, and then Douglas Fir.
What is vertical grain Douglas fir?
Vertical grain Doug fir is sawn perpendicular to the growth rings of the tree. This means that if you are looking at a piece of vertical grain wood, you’ll be able to see the lumber’s tight growth rings in straight lines running vertically up and down the face of the wood.
Is Douglas fir a good wood to build with?
Douglas fir lumber is considered to be one of the best woods for home building. This wood’s qualities for strength and durability give it high grades. When these trees are harvested and cut into pieces, the lumber is considered one of the finest types of wood in the building industry.
Is Douglas fir treated wood?
This lumber is pressure treated in order to protect it from termites, fungal decay, and rot. This lumber can be painted or stained. When used properly, it is both safe and environmentally friendly.
What is Douglas fir wood good for?
Strength and Stiffness: Douglas-fir has superior strength and hardness of pine. It is well suited for structural beams, trusses, boats, musical instruments, and roofs. Decay resistance: High resistance to decay when used in wall framing and siding (but not suited to in-ground or heavy rainy outdoor conditions).
Is Douglas fir wood hard?
While it might be called a softwood, Douglas fir is actually harder than some angiosperm hardwoods, such as chestnut. Douglas fir is a very durable hardwood flooring option. Douglas fir has a Janka score of 660, meaning it takes 660 pounds of force to do this.
Is Douglas fir hard or soft wood?
Doug-Fir is one of the most popular softwoods used both in factories and at home, and it is quite an interesting species. Despite being a softwood, it possesses features that enable it to be used in tasks mostly meant for hardwoods. Significantly, its high versatility gives it an unbeatable edge over its competitors.
How do you prepare Douglas fir for outdoor use?
Douglas fir absorbs stain easily.
- Sand the surface of the wood smooth with 180 grit sandpaper. Follow the grain of the wood when sanding.
- Apply a thin coat of a water-based latex exterior wood sealer to the Douglas fir with a nylon paintbrush.
- Let the sealer dry according to the package directions.
Does Douglas fir go GREY?
Colour – As a redwood, Douglas fir is usually an attractive red-brown colour. Douglas fir is often left untreated and undergoes weathering, changing the colour from reddy-brown to a striking silvery grey over time.
What kind of siding is Douglas fir made of?
Douglas Fir is available in clear flat grain or clear vertical grain. They are both clear grades but in vertical grain the grain is very straight and runs the length of the board. Vertical grain fir is a very popular siding choice since it provides a clean and linear look.
What does vertical grain douglas fir look like?
From dawn to dusk. While pinkish-red when freshly cut, CVG (Clear, Vertical Grain) Douglas-fir ages to a beautiful, warm reddish-brown with darker stripes. Douglas-fir is one of the United States’ most plentiful softwoods.
When to use Douglas fir for structural beams?
Douglas Fir timbers are a great choice when large structural beams are required. We carry a #1 & Better grade of Douglas Fir timbers most of which are FOHC which reduces the amount of cracking and splitting often found in large timbers. These timbers can be surfaced to smooth and sized to the exact dimensions you project requires.
Can you cut corbels out of Douglas fir?
If requested, we can also cut brackets, rafter tails and corbels from our timbers. Douglas Fir is available in clear flat grain or clear vertical grain. They are both clear grades but in vertical grain the grain is very straight and runs the length of the board.