![]() I was impressed with the wood’s stability. They also learned the value of drilling pilot holes before nailing through the thin sides and of using a backup board when crosscutting. The fir was harder and more prone to splintering than the pine the students were used to working. I also wanted them to have a bit of school history to take home (although I doubt that will matter much to them until they get a little older). We built a version of the tool tote (shown here). With my lumber rack overflowing, I set about designing a project my students could tackle that would teach valuable woodworking lessons and utilize this beautiful reclaimed wood. Those boards were just as flat, straight, and sturdy as when they were installed over 50 years ago, though with more chewing gum. I convinced the demo crew to save me the lumber from the old bleachers-most of it CVG Doug-fir. (There are still a few of us teaching “shop” in America’s public schools.) As part of a renovation project, our gym was updated with ADA-compliant seating. My most recent experience with CVG Douglas-fir came in the residential construction class I teach as one of the Technology Education electives available to my high school students. It accepts stains readily and can be finished with any number of different topcoats, but soaks up oil. ![]() Finishingĭoug-fir has a warm, reddish-brown hue that deepens with age. The wood glues without a problem and holds both nails and screws well, but drill pilot holes to prevent splitting. Climb-cutting when routing profiles greatly reduces splintering. The wood machines well, but use very sharp cutters, and employ backer blocks when crosscutting to minimize exit tearout. Do yourself a favor and use a sanding block. ![]() Folded sandpaper can slip beneath a splinter, angling it right into your finger. The wood can splinter easily, and is tough to work with hand tools. The harder areas can also cause small drill bits to drift off course. You’ll feel this distinctly when bandsawing across the grain. Working CVG Douglas-firĭoug-fir is one of the harder softwoods on the market and features a distinct difference in the hardness of the earlywood (the lighter colored areas) and the latewood (the darker stripes). With some old-growth lumber, the ring spacing can be 1/16" or less. But do note whether the grain is described as “tight” or “loose.” The tighter the grain, the closer together the growth rings are, creating a more uniform texture and making it easier to work. CVG Doug-fir is quite uniform in appearance, so, seeing before buying isn’t as important as when buying lumber with prominent figure. These 1×4 pieces sell for about $6/board foot. This material is meant to be used for porch flooring and has a groove on one edge and a tongue on the other, so you’ll waste a little of it if you just want square-edged boards. While not all the pieces in the bin are vertical grain, you can usually sort through and find those that are. My local place, stocks what they refer to as “tongue and groove fir flooring” (above, right) in the aisle with the premium quality pine boards. Unlike many of the exotic species discussed in previous WoodSense columns, CVG Douglas-fir can be found at big box hardware stores, although the sales staff may not know exactly what you’re asking for. Architects, carpenters, and cabinetmakers have long valued the wood for its stability and uniform appearance, and have used it for doors, window sashes, paneling, trim, and cabinetry. ![]() History in woodworkingĮver since the Oregon Trail opened up the Northwest to settlement, Douglas-fir has been valued as a prime building material. As of this writing, the plentiful Douglas-fir is considered far from endangered. The dense stands in which they grow cause the trees to self-prune, yielding straight-grained logs free of knots. Mature trees can be 200 feet tall and 6 feet in diameter. It’s genus (Pseudotsuga) translates to “false hemlock.” Doug-Fir forests grow in the Pacific Northwest and up into British Columbia. In truth, Doug-Fir, Pseudotsuga menziesii, isn’t a fir, at all. We’re talking about CVG (Clear, Vertical Grain) Douglas-fir boards that are more processed and quarter-sawn-cut so the growth rings are relatively perpendicular to board faces. But before you dismiss this species as simply fodder for framing walls and floors, take a closer look at the photos and the title of the article. Construction 2×4s designated as SPF (spruce, pine, fir)-are often Douglas-fir. ![]() Due to its excellent strength-to-weight ratio, it has long been the go-to species for carpentry and construction projects. Douglas-fir is one of the United States’ most plentiful softwoods. ![]()
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