Have questions?

Call 877-372-9663

RSS Feed

Tongue & Groove Blog
Douglas Fir Facts

  • Douglas Fir Hardwood Q&A

    Posted on December 18, 2012 by Jennifer

    You’ve got questions about Douglas fir flooring? Great! We’ve got answers. Read on to learn all you ever wanted to know about hardwoods, softwoods, hardness ratings, and what all those terms really mean for the lifespan of your hardwood flooring.

    Q: Is Douglas fir a hardwood?

    A: That depends on what you mean when you say hardwood. Actually, “hardwood” and “softwood” are generic terms that have nothing to do with the physical hardness of the wood. “Hardwood” is a common term for a broad class of trees scientifically known as angiosperms. Angiosperm means “enclosed seed,” and it refers to plants whose mature seed is in some sort of fruit or nut. Oak, cherry, walnut—these are all angiosperms, or hardwood trees.

    “Softwood” is the common term for gymnosperm plants. Gymnosperm means naked seed. These plants usually carry their seeds in some kind of cone, which opens to expose the seeds once they are ripe. Pines, firs, cedars—these are gymnosperms, or softwood trees.

    Douglas fir falls in the gymnosperm, or softwood category. So is it a hardwood? Technically no. However, if what you’re really asking is whether or not Douglas fir is a tough, strong building material, the answer is yes—it’s widely known as a very durable wood.

     

    Q: So which is harder – hardwoods (angiosperms)? Or softwoods (gymnosperms)?

    A: It varies from tree to tree. Oak, Ash and Walnut are all very hard angiosperms. However, Douglas fir, which is a gymnosperm, or softwood, is actually harder than chestnut, an angiosperm that most people would call a hardwood. Balsa is a hardwood, but its wood is so soft and lightweight that it’s most commonly used for making model airplanes.

     

    Q: Then how can I tell which woods are the hardest? How do they measure this stuff, anyway?

    A: Engineers use a lot of different factors when they are determining the strength of a material, and hardness is only one of them. “Hardness” is defined specifically as “resistance to indentation.” Scientists test for this via the Janka hardness test. They take a .444-inch steel ball and drop it repeatedly onto the surface of a plank. The amount of force it takes to embed this little ball halfway into the plank gives the wood its Janka hardness rating. Douglas fir gets a Janka hardness rating of 660 pounds-force.

     

    Q: Then woods with the highest Janka hardness ratings are the strongest?

    A: Nope. Like we said before, there are many different factors that engineers and materials scientists consider when they are determining the strength of a material. Other factors to consider are modulus of elasticity, which measures how well a material can bend and still return to its original shape without deforming or breaking: Impact bending, which is measured by dropping a hammer on a beam from higher and higher heights until the wood either snaps or deflects 6 inches or more; and tensile strength, which is how much force a material can handle without breaking when it’s stretched.

    Douglas fir has a relatively low Janka hardness rating, but it has a high modulus of elasticity as well has high ratings for shear, tension parallel-to-grain, compression, and other strength characteristics. In fact, Douglas fir’s strength-to-weight ratio is so superiorthat it is considered the material of choice for most commercial and residential building projects in North America.

     

    Q: What about my floors? Is Douglas fir hard enough to use for flooring?

    A: Absolutely. Unless you are shooting steel balls into your floors on a regular basis, you should have no problems with the durability of your Douglas fir flooring. The Pacific Northwest is full of homes dating from the early part of the 20th century whose original Douglas fir floors are still beautiful—80 to 100 years after they were first installed. Yes, scratches and dents are possible, but they’re a possibility on any flooring, even hardwoods like oak or man-made products like ceramic tile. Make sure your Douglas fir floor has a quality finish, keep the floors clean with sweeping and occasional mopping, and maintain the finish when necessary.

    If you can do those simple things, your Douglas fir flooring will last a lifetime, with durability that ranks up there with any so-called “hardwood” on the market.



    This post was posted in Douglas Fir Flooring and was tagged with Douglas fir flooring, janka hardness, douglas fir hardwood q&a, hardwoods, softwoods, angiosperms, gymnosperms

  • What Makes Douglas Fir the Perfect Holiday Tree?

    Posted on December 11, 2012 by Jennifer

    If you’re one of the 30 million Americans who will adorn their home with a real tree for the holiday season this year, then you’re probably familiar with the tree-choosing ritual: you circle the selections, you debate about the choices, and then you stand in the cold and ponder whether the tree will actually look good in your living room and survive until the last strands of tinsel and lights have been cleared away.

    Here’s a tip to make your tree-selection process easier this year: choose a Douglas fir. They’re full and attractive, they’ll keep their needles for a month or more, and they smell like you’ve died and gone to Winter Wonderland Heaven.

    Douglas fir is one of the top varieties of Christmas tree grown in the United States. Ever since the 1920s, when Christmas tree farming was in its infancy, they’ve been the major species used in the nation’s largest tree-producing region, the Pacific Northwest. Douglas fir makes up about 47 percent of the crop in Oregon and Washington and is popular world-wide, shipping each year to places as far away as the Philippines, China, and Guam.

    Why are Douglas fir trees so popular for holiday celebrations?

    Holiday beauty: The major factor is their attractiveness. People want a tree that will display their family heirlooms with style, and Douglas fir is known for its full, bushy boughs that provide a gorgeous backdrop for decorating, with no wide gaps or ugly holes to fill in. Its densely-packed branches point upward, which makes it easier to hang ornaments without the fear of them crashing to the ground. Most commercially grown Douglas fir trees are carefully trimmed into a perfect conical shape, excellent for draping with lights and other holiday cheer.

    The needles on a Douglas fir radiate in all directions from the branch and have a rich, green color that is the same from the bottom to the top of the needle. The needles tend to be 1 to 1.5 inches long, and they’re soft and flexible to the touch—an excellent quality if curious little ones with wandering fingers will be at your house for the holidays.

    Long-lasting display: The part of decorating with a real tree that everyone dreads is cleaning up after all those needles that drop off. However, if you pick a Douglas fir and water it carefully, you’ll be in for a pleasant surprise in the needle department. Douglas fir Christmas trees are known for having good needle retention and will last for a month or more after being cut.

    Fresh fragrance: The other benefit to decorating with a real Douglas fir tree—the factor that a plastic tree just can’t provide—is that delicious “fresh-tree” smell. Tree growers describe the scent of Douglas fir as “sweet,” “wonderful,” “pine-like,” and “distinctive,” and note that the aroma of a Douglas fir will linger in your home throughout the holiday season.

    A high achiever: Christmas tree growers favor the Douglas fir because it’s native to the Northwest and thus grows extremely well in forests of this fertile region; a Douglas Fir can reach prime holiday-tree height (about seven feet tall is the most popular height for cut trees) by the time it is six or seven years old. That’s several years faster than other evergreen species.

    In fact, according to the Guinness Book of World Records, the tallest real Christmas tree ever displayed was a Douglas fir: a 221-foot giant that decorated a Seattle shopping center in 1950.

    The tree-lover’s choice: If Douglas fir’s attractiveness, durability, fragrance, and popularity aren’t enough to convince you, then take a cue from the people of Oregon, where folks take their trees very seriously. More than 6.4 million holiday trees are harvested in Oregon each year, and holiday tree sales are worth more than $110 million to the state’s economy annually. Even Oregon’s major-league soccer team is named the Timbers, with a real chainsaw-wielding lumberjack known as Timber Joey as its mascot.

    The center of the state’s holiday spirit can be found in Pioneer Courthouse Square, affectionately known as “Portland’s living room.” Each year it takes a crane to get the city’s massive holiday tree in place. Workers then spend weeks decorating it with up to 14,000 lights, until community members gather the day after Thanksgiving for a community sing-a-long and tree-lighting ceremony. It’s a spectacular tradition, beloved by people throughout the state. The center of all this hoopla? You guessed it—a towering 75-foot Douglas fir.

    So follow in the footsteps of tree-loving Oregonians—and millions of other Douglas fir-fans worldwide—and choose a beautiful, long-lasting, aromatic Douglas fir for your holiday tree.



    This post was posted in All Entries and was tagged with Douglas-fir, christmas tree, holiday tree, the perfect holiday tree, the perfect christmas tree

  • Water Based Finishes for Wood

    Posted on June 20, 2012 by pat

    Water based finishes, like oil based finishes, protect your wood from everyday wear ‘n’ tear inside your home. But, what are the real differences between water based and oil based finishes for solid wood flooring, paneling, trim, and casework? Here are four common questions about water based finishes.

    What are the benefits of water based finishes?

    Choosing a water based finish (waterborne) really comes down to preference. People who prefer working with products that emit low odors or less VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds) opt for a water based finish. Oil based finishes are notorious for their stink factor and required ventilation during application.

    Many of the harsh and flammable ingredients found in oil based finishes have been replaced with water in water based finishes, making them safer to work with, easier to clean, and less harmful to breath, though not completely harm-free. People looking for environmentally-friendly wood finishes can find water based products made with plant oils and plant waxes.

    Another benefit of water based finishes is its drying time. Weather conditions and climate aside, water based finishes dry faster because their ingredients evaporate once applied – oil based finishes dry through a reaction process. However, a faster drying time calls for a faster application time, leaving less wiggle room for errors.

    Water based finishes also affect the final look of the wood differently than their oil based counterparts. Left alone, water based finishes tend to maintain the existing color of the wood as closely as possible, whereas most oil based finishes can deepen the color of the wood adding, an amber hue to your CVG Douglas Fir Flooring.

    What’s the durability of water based finishes?

    Water based finishes are durable. However, the level of durability needed is important when considering a water based finish for interior wood. For instance, if you’re finishing a Doug fir floor and prefer a water based finish, you’ll want to use a water based finish made for flooring that offers scratch-resistance, such as a water based polyurethane finish. On the other hand, if you’re looking to finish wainscoting in a bathroom, you may need a different kind of durability from a finish, and may want to consider an oil based product to protect against humidity and moisture (but we’re not saying there aren’t water based options for this type of application, as well).

    What maintenance is required for water based finishes?

    Water based finishes are a breeze to maintain, so keep your maintenance routine simple. Dampen a clean washcloth with mild water and wipe the wood dry. If you’re tempted to use a cleaning agent or product designed for wood--don’t. The most popular household wood cleaners contain waxes that build up on your wood, leaving a dull, smeary appearance over time.

    You can reapply or re-coat water based finishes as often as needed, though you may need to do some light sanding to remove dirt, grease, and grime before re-coating.

    What else should I know about water based finishes?

    Our advice is to condition the wood before applying the water based finish: after sanding, wipe down the wood’s surface with a damp cloth, then lightly re-sand to get rid of any raised grain. Also be sure to read the manufacturer’s label and instructions before applying your finish – application guidelines vary from product to product. Store your finishes in their original canisters and keep them from freezing. If you’re the inquisitive, inventive type, never mix water based finishes with oil based finishes together in the can. You’ll end up with a mess on your hands and money down the drain.

    Happy finishing!



    This post was posted in Care & Maintenance and was tagged with Douglas fir flooring, water based finishes, oil based finishes, wood flooring, paneling, trim, casework, CVG douglas fir flooring

Items 40 to 42 of 98 total

Page:
  1. 1
  2. ...
  3. 12
  4. 13
  5. 14
  6. 15
  7. 16
  8. ...
  9. 33