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DOUGLAS
Douglas fir is a new type of wood and has rarely appeared on the Asian timber market. When the price and quantity of Ash and Oak increase, Douglas wood now suddenly gains attention from manufacturers. So what characteristics does Douglas wood have, whether it can be used as an alternative material to Oak or Ash, let’s go into it.
Harvesting Douglas wood at Prospiva logging yard
BRIEF
Douglas fir (scientific name: Pseudotsuga menziesii), also known as  Cornaly fir, is a species of large woody gymnosperm in the pine family. This species is named in honor of David Douglas, a Scottish botanist who was the first to classify this plant. Douglas fir is a conifer which has the origin from the North America. The plant is grown in many temperate climate regions.
Leaves and fruits of Douglas tree and Douglas cross-section
This light-loving plant grows and develops well in normal conditions and can withstand harsh climates. In particular, the trunk of this tree has many petite and rough wooden branches. The leaves are needle-shaped, glossy green, and resemble the pine tree leaves. The cone-shaped fruit dangles from the branch, which is 5–11 cm long and 2–3 cm wide when closed, and 4 cm wide when open. They are produced in the spring, begin with green color and turn to yellow-brown after 6-7 months.
There are two types of Douglas fir : Coastal Douglas and Mountain Douglas
- Coastal Douglas fir This is a large tree that can reach 85 meters. The wood has a lighter color, and the grain is homogenous.
- Mountain Douglas fir Unlike coastal Douglas fir, mountain Douglas fir can only reach a height of 42 meters. Although the color and grain of the wood don’t have the same quality as coastal fir, they are less water absorbent during handling and preservation.
Coastal Douglas fir forest in Vancouver Island (1) and Mountain Douglas fir forest in Washington (2)
Parameter of Douglas wood
PROS AND CONS
PROS
The surface quality of Douglas is good. It usually has pink or reddish brown color; sometimes, there’s a bit of black.
Good machine resistance; turned, planned, and shaped well.
Excellent screw grip and crack resistance.
Stick well with a wide variety of adhesives under different conditions.
Excellent resistance to sanding, staining, and painting.
Furniture made from Beech wood
CONS
Douglas wood has low hardness and bearing capacity, only 620 lbf (according to the Janka hardness scale). Although much worse than hardwood species, Douglas is considered the hardest of all types of softwood.
Easy to be attacked by insects.
Has a typical plastic smell of wood when sawing and drying.
Sawdust from Douglas fir can cause skin irritation, nausea, dizziness, and runny nose.
SUMMARY
In conclusion, with its properties, Douglas fir can ultimately be an excellent choice to replace Ash in the present time. Compared with Ash, wood products from Douglas have excellent quality and a similar appearance, but the price is even much lower.