Appearance
Color: Heartwood is
yellowish tan to light brown. Sapwood is tan to white. Heartwood may be
confused with that of Southern yellow pine. Radical color change upon
exposure to sunlight.
Grain: Normally straight, with occasional wavy or
spiral texture. Nearly all fir flooring is vertical- grain or riftsawn
clear-grade material.
Variations Within Species And Grades: Wood varies
greatly in weight and strength. Young trees of moderate to rapid growth
have reddish heartwood and are called red fir. The narrow-ringed wood
of old trees may be yellowish-brown and is known as yellow fir.
Properties
Hardness/Janka: 660;
49% softer than Northern red oak.
Dimensional Stability: Above average (change
coefficient .00267; 28% more stable than red oak).
Durability: Durable but easily dented. Somewhat
brittle and splinters easily, especially with age. Used for flooring,
but may not be suitable for all applications due to its softness.
|
|
Workability
Sawing/Machining: Harder
to work with hand tools than the soft pines.
Sanding: Sands satisfactorily.
Nailing: Good holding ability.
Finishing: Some boards develop a slight pinkish to
bright salmon color when finished with some products. Because of
tendency toward color change, care must be taken to avoid oversanding
when refinishing an existing floor
Comments: Sometimes milled for flooring as end-grain
block, which is significantly harder than plainsawn.
Cost
(relative to plainsawn select red
oak)
Multiplier: 1.70
Availability
Readily Available.
|
