Douglas

Origin: western North America

Latin name.
Pseudotsuga taxifolia (Poir.) Britt., P. menziesii Franco.

Natural vegetation area.
Forests of the western part of North America, from British Columbia to Mexico, on both sides of the Rocky Mountains.

TRUNK CHARACTERISTICS.
The tree reaches very big sizes: heights over 100 metres and diameters over 2 metres have been recorded. The trunks have a perfect size.

WOOD APPEARANCE AND CHARACTERISTICS.
The sapwood varies in colour from whitish to light tones such as yellowish or rosy; the heartwood is rosy/yellowish in the trunks coming from mountain areas (Yellow Fir), whereas in those coming from low altitudes towards the Pacific it is clearly rosy (Red Fir). The growth rings are very clear and generally have a small thickness.

Specific weight.
In the fresh condition 700 kg/m3 on average; after normal seasoning 500 kg/m3 for the wood coming from the mountains, and 550 kg/m3 for the coastal type.

Histological structure.
Texture from fine to medium; mostly straight and regular grain.

Mechanical characteristics.
Axial compression strength 48 N/mm2 on average; bending strength 87 N/mm2; hardness from low to medium; the impact behaviour is moderate.

Modulus of elasticity.
13.000 N/mm2.

Most frequent structural defects and alteration.
Rare occurrence of grain spiral deviation, resin pockets and compression wood; on the other hand, the considerable compactness difference between the latest area of a ring and the spring area of the next ring can cause some partial restrictions during planing (loose grain).

Durability.
From moderate to good.

Texts taken from: “Manuale tecnico del legno”, FNALA CNA LEGNO LEGNO, by Prof. Ing. Guglielmo Giordano.

Species available for the following products: