WoodwoodSoftwood

Fir (Douglas)

Strong, stiff softwood and the standard structural framing timber in North America. Good strength-to-weight, but not decay resistant when left exposed.

Stock forms — Board section and side elevation, end grain showingannual ringsend graintwLside elevation
Fir (Douglas) — stock formsSymbols only — no stock sizes are published

Properties

Family
Wood
Category
wood
Species
Pseudotsuga menziesii
Density
0.53 g/cm³ · 530 kg/m³

Densityhow fir (douglas) compares

Density of Fir (Douglas) — 0.53 g/cm³Fir (Douglas)0.53Water1.00Aluminium2.700369g/cm³
0.53 g/cm³ — 530 kg/m³Water 1.00 · Aluminium 2.70

Applicationswhere fir (douglas) is normally specified

Structural framingBeamsPlywoodGeneral construction

Practical notes

  • Density is for air-dried stock at about 12% moisture content
  • Rated for structural use — check the grade stamp before load-bearing work
  • Requires protection outdoors; treat or keep it dry

Lumber sizeswhat fir (douglas) weighs in each nominal size

Lumber size database

Dressed sizes are the same for every species — a 2x4 is 1-1/2 x 3-1/2 in in oak as much as in spruce. What changes is the weight, and that is derived here from fir (douglas)'s density of 0.53 g/cm³.

2x4 dimensions2x4x8 weight2x6 dimensions4x4 dimensions

Tools used on itmatched on the wood family, not on this page

All tools
Circular SawCountersinkDrillHole SawImpact DriverJigsawMitre SawRandom Orbit SanderRouterTwist Drill Bits

Which tools work a material is a property of the family (Wood), not of the individual species — so this list is the same on every wood page, and changes when the tool data changes rather than when this paragraph does.

Used in these projectsbuilds whose bill of materials calls for it

All projects
Bolt-Together Shelving UnitKnock-Down WorkbenchRaised Deck: Posts, Beams and Joists

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Weight calculatorAll materials