ConstructionSoftwood
Standing TimberIndustrial RoundwoodSoftwood LumberHardwood LumberWood-Based PanelsPlywood
What is it?
Not a true fir. The strongest and stiffest softwood in wide structural use, and the species that built the American West.
Why does it matter?
Where a design is governed by stiffness rather than cost - long spans, beams, heavy timber frames - Douglas fir is usually the answer, and it anchors the top of the softwood design-value tables.
Where it grows
The US Pacific Northwest and British Columbia, plus substantial planted stands in New Zealand and western Europe.What it is used for
Beams, joists and rafters, heavy timber and glulam, structural plywood, flooring.What to watch
Resists preservative penetration, so it is not used for ground-contact treated products in the way southern pine is.What it is used for
All end markets →| End market | What it does there | Importance |
|---|---|---|
| Housebuilding | Beams and long spans where stiffness governs | Defining |