Oregon
Oregon (also known as Douglas Fir) is a lighter coloured softwood (but it’s hard for a softwood). Recycled old growth oregon has a fine grain like cedar, and is great for furniture and joinery, feature beams, or even an interesting internal cladding.
RECYCLED FROM Oregon (or Douglas Fir as it is also known) was brought into Australia from the US and Canada throughout the 1900’s. It was used to make house roofs and old style trusses as well as purlins in factories and warehouses.
TIMBER KNOWLEDGE The oregon which arrived in Australia before WW2 was from huge old growth trees and is fine grained and has fewer knots. It looks almost like western red cedar, in contrast to the coarser grained, knotty oregon you see from 1970’s and 80’s demolitions.
Oregon is hard for a softwood. It requires care in planing and sanding because of the difference in hardness between the winter growth (darker) and the summer growth (lighter).
Oregon / Douglas Fir: Pseudotsuga menziesii
USES We use the good quality fine grained oregon for furniture and joinery. It can also be used for feature beams. The more knotty oregon makes an interesting internal cladding.
NATURAL DURABILITY (approximate rating for the expected life of untreated and unfinished timbers exposed to the weather)
In Ground: Class 4 (0-5 years) Above Ground: Class 4 (0-7 years)
HARDNESS 3.0-3.4 kN (Janka scale)
DRY WEIGHT 480-560kg / cubic metre