White fir

White Fir (Abies grandis)

Description

A tall, slender fir tree, Abies concolor, native to mountainous regions of western North America. The white fir yields a moderately hard, strong, straight-grain wood. It is primarily used for framing, millwork, boxes, and paper pulp.

Synonyms and Related Terms

Abies concolor; Abies grandis; sapin argenté, sapin concolor (Fr.)

Physical and Chemical Properties

• Tree Size: 120-180 ft (37-55 m) tall
• Trunk diameter: 4-6 ft (1.2-1.8 m)
• Density = 26 pcf
• Specific Gravity (Basic, 12% MC): .37, .42
• Average Dried Weight: 26 lbs/ft3 (415 kg/m3)

Resources and Citations

• Wood Database: White fir

• H. A. Alden, A.C. Wiedenhoeft, "Qualified Determination of Provenance of Wood of the Firs (Abies spp. Mill) Using Microscopic Features of Rays: An Aid to Conservators, Curators and Art Historians" AIC Poster, reprinted online at http://www.si.edu/scmre/abies.html

• G.S.Brady, Materials Handbook, McGraw-Hill Book Co., New York, 1971 Comment: p. 758

• Dictionary of Building Preservation, Ward Bucher, ed., John Wiley & Sons, Inc., New York City, 1996

• Random House, Webster's Encyclopedic Unabridged Dictionary of the English Language, Grammercy Book, New York, 1997

• Western Pine Association, Portland, Oregon: air-dry weight = 26 pcf