5 Benefits of Using Douglas Fir for Flooring

Douglas fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii) is a fragrant evergreen conifer that can grow up to 60 metres tall. It has been named after the Scottish botanist David Douglas, who first imported this tree to the UK in 1827.

Douglas fir is native to North America but can now be found across the UK, especially in western regions where there is higher rainfall. As well as being grown for ornamental uses, the douglas fir tree is also a valuable timber for cladding, beams, decking and flooring. 

In fact, we’re excited to let you know that in 2023 we are going to start production of extra long and wide flooring using grown-in-Britain [GIB] douglas fir! In this blog we will take a look at the 5 benefits of using douglas fir for flooring.

Douglas fir is extra long and wide

Towering and straight, the douglas fir tree can grow to lengths of 60 metres tall, with the tallest tree in Britain being a douglas fir standing slightly over 66 metres tall in Reelig Glen, near Inverness. 

The distinctive height of the douglas fir allows us to create extra long and wide flooring planks that really showcase the characteristic grain of the douglas fir.

Great natural durability

Douglas fir is extremely durable and has a fantastic strength-to-weight ratio. It also has a high-level of flexibility and is weather-resistant, making it a fantastic alternative to oak flooring. Additionally, douglas fir is also more stable than oak and absorbs less moisture. 

All of this and more means that douglas fir makes for a great flooring choice, especially when durability is key in a family home with heavy footfall, children and pets.

Douglas fir is UK grown

Douglas fir was planted after the Second World War on the Cowdray Estate and the logs we use for the flooring planks are from here. This means the carbon miles are the shortest we are aware of, with less than 5 miles between harvest and sawmill. We understand the importance of sustainability for the future of not only our business but the planet, and therefore our timber is from sustainable forests. 

The douglas fir timber we use is certified by Grown in Britain, this guarantees the timber has been grown legally and in the UK, in accordance with the UK Forestry Standard and UK Government Timber Procurement Policy. Additionally, our timber carries FSC certification, meaning that the forest is being managed in compliance with FSC’s requirements to preserve biological diversity and benefit the local area. Like all trees, douglas fir will contain sound features which is part of the whole character of the species. It will not be a clear grade.

Great density after being kiln-dried

Douglas fir benefits from a useful density after kiln drying to approx 10/12% for normally heated houses. The process of Kiln drying our douglas fir timber involves subjecting the timber to drying cycles why maintaining temperate and humidity levels. This process is not only quicker than air drying, but also increases the timbers stability and equalises the moisture content.

Beautiful natural character and on trend

Our douglas fir planks are not only extra long and wide, but beautiful and full of unique charm. Homegrown douglas fir can vary in colour, usually a light brown with touches of yellows and red and darker growth rings. The grain is typically straight to wavy, and medium to coarse in texture. These douglas fir boards take hard wax flooring oils well and pigmented oils to enhance the grain for example. 

If knots are not a concern, Saw Falling grade of douglas fir is an economic choice for flooring as it is taken as it falls from the sawmill, therefore is a mixture of all grades and is likely to contain a mix of planks that contain knots or markings, we find this can give some fantastic character to your flooring. 

Douglas fir really is an unrivalled choice for floorboards, with the durability of more traditional flooring options such as oak, but with the modern and dramatic twist of the much larger planks. Douglas fir is an economic and beautiful choice for your wooden floorboards, and we are excited to start production of our extra long and wide douglas fir floorboards in 2023. 

Get in touch with us today to find out more or to join the waiting list for this spectacular flooring.

WL West & Sons Ltd is a timber merchant and sawmill business with 150 years of experience. We provide a wide range of air-dried oak and kiln-dried oak timber products and supplies. We also build and install custom projects for our customers.

Our wood products, building materials and certified wood are manufactured and sold with the endorsement of forest certification and the Forest Stewardship Council FSC

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