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Article: Douglas fir: a pine, not a true fir.(Wood of the Month)
- Article from:
- Wood & Wood Products
- Article date:
- August 1, 1995
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 1995 Vance Publishing Corp. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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The Douglas fir is really a close relative of hemlock trees and not a true spruce or fir. Douglas fir trees have flat, soft, short stalked needles that grow in spirals around the tree's twigs.
Douglas fir is a member of the pine family. It is an important commercial timber in the United States and Canada, ranking as one of the world's most important sources for plywood. Some decorative veneers are made from Douglas fir and used in rustic paneling. It is also used for heavy construction, including: laminated arches, roof trusses, beams, interior and exterior joinery, dock and harbor work, marine piling, ship building, mining timber, railway sleepers, cooperage, ...