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Boring
Certified Source
Common Names
Common Uses
Countries of Distribution
Distribution Overview
Drying Defects
Ease of Drying
Environmental Profile
Family Name
Gluing
Grain
Heartwood Color
Kiln Schedules
Mortising
Moulding
Nailing
Natural Durability
Numerical Data
Odor
Planing
Product Sources
References
Regions of Distribution
Resistance to Impregnation
Sapwood Color
Scientific Name
Screwing
Strength Properties
Texture
Trade Name
Tree Size
Turning

Scientific Name
Abies lasiocarpa

Trade Name
Subalpine fir

Family Name
Pinaceae

Wood Image 1

Common Names
Alpine fir, Balsam, Balsam fir, Corkbark fir, Fir, Pino real blanco, Rocky mountain fir, Subalpine fir, Western balsam fir, Western fir, White balsam, White fir

Regions of Distribution
North America

Countries of Distribution  [VIEW MAP]
Canada, United States

Common Uses
Beams, Boxes and crates, Building construction, Cabin construction, Casks, Concrete formwork, Construction, Decks, Decorative plywood, Dressed boards, Factory construction, Form work, Foundation posts, Framing, Heavy construction, Joists, Light construction, Lumber, Packing cases, Plywood, Porch columns, Pulp/Paper products, Pulpwood, Rough boards/dimension stock, Rough construction, Structural plywood, Utility plywood

Environmental Profile
Rare
Abundant/Secure
Questionable
May be rare in some parts of its range, particularly at the periphery
Likely rare in many parts of its natural habitat
Generally widespread, secure, and abundant within most of its range
Data source is World Conservation Monitoring Center
Data source is Nature Conservancy


Rank of relative endangerment based primarily on the number of occurrences of the species globally.
Rare within its natural habitat in the states of Arizona, Colorado, and New Mexico.
Species with a Rare rating are not currently considered as Endangered or Vulnerable, but are at risk because they normally exist in small numbers, are usually present in small quantities over a wide range, or are naturally concentrated within a very small geographical area

Distribution Overview
In the U.S. and Canada, Subalpine Fir grows naturally in mountains from central Yukon and the eastern parts of southeast Alaska south through Alberta and British Columbia. It can also be found from Washington, Oregon, Idaho and western Montana south to central Colorado, southern New Mexico and southeast Arizona. Locally, it may be found in northeast Nevada and northwest California as well.

Heartwood Color
Brown
White
Yellow
Purple
Red
Whitish
Same as sapwood
Light buff to yellowish brown
Light brown

The latewood area of the growth rings may have a reddish brown, lavender, or roseate tinge. Some knots may have a yellowish tinge

Sapwood Color
Red
Brown
Yellow
White
Color not distinct from heartwood


Grain
Even
Straight

Generally straight, but not always
Even


Texture
Medium
Coarse
Medium coarse to coarse


Natural Durability
Perishable
Non-durable
Very low natural resistance to attack by decay fungi and wood destroying organisms


Odor
Has an odor
No specific smell or taste
May have a slightly disagreeable smell when green


Kiln Schedules
12 - B5 (4/4);T12 - B4 (8/4) U.S


Drying Defects
Uneven Moisture Content
Ring Shakes
Splitting
Discoloration
Wet wood causes most defects.
Uneven moisture content
Shakes
Expect splits
Chemical brown stains


Ease of Drying
Fairly Easy
Easy


Tree Size
Tree height is 20-30 m


Product Sources
Subalpine fir has strength properties that are similar to those of White spruce (Picea glauca), Engelman spruce (Picea engelmannii) and Lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta). Timber produced by these species are grouped and marketed in the Spruce-Pine-Fir grade.

Certified Source
Certified Source


Boring
Fair to good results
Fair results


Gluing
Very Good to Excellent Results
Fairly Easy to Very Easy
Excellent results


Mortising
Fairly Easy to Very Easy
Fair to Good Results
Easy to mortise


Moulding
Fairly Easy to Very Easy
Fair to Good Results
Satisfactory moulding qualities


Nailing
Fair to Good Results
Very Good to Excellent Results
Holds nails well
Good resistance to splitting while nailing


Planing
Fair to Good Results
Fairly Easy to Very Easy
Planes well, to a good finish
Good planing properties


Resistance to Impregnation
Resistant heartwood
Resistant sapwood
Heartwood is resistant


Screwing
Very Good to Excellent Results
Fair to Good Results
Fairly Easy to Very Easy
Good screw holding properties
Excellent screwing properties


Turning
Fair to Good Results
Fairly Easy to Very Easy
Fair


Strength Properties
Surfaces may dent easily
Soft
Compression strength (parallel to grain) = low
Bending strength (MOR) = medium


Numerical Data
ItemGreenDryEnglish
Bending Strength49498232psi
Crushing Strength221456psi
Hardness343lbs
Maximum Crushing Strength23524969psi
Shearing Strength1005psi
Stiffness113213571000 psi
Specific Gravity0.240.2
Radial Shrinkage3%
Tangential Shrinkage7%
Volumetric Shrinkage9%
ItemGreenDryMetric
Bending Strength347578kg/cm2
Crushing Strength1532kg/cm2
Hardness155kg
Maximum Crushing Strength165349kg/cm2
Shearing Strength70kg/cm2
Stiffness79951000 kg/cm2
Specific Gravity0.240.2
Radial Shrinkage3%
Tangential Shrinkage7%

References
Boone, R.S., C.J. Kozlik, P.J. Bois, E.M. Wengert. 1988. Dry Kiln Schedules for Commercial Hardwoods - Temperate and Tropical. USDA, Forest Service, General Technical Report FPL-GTR-57, Forest Products Laboratory, Madison, Wisconsin.

Canadian Forestry Service. 1981. Canadian Woods - Their Properties and Uses. Third Edition. E.J. Mullins and T.S. McKnight, Editors. Published by University of Toronto Press, Toronto, Canada.

Little, E.L. 1980. The Audobon Society Field Guide to North American Trees - Western Region. Published by Arthur A. Knopf, New York.

Panshin, A.J. and C. deZeeuw. Textbook of Wood Technology. McGraw-Hill Series in Forest Resources. McGraw-Hill Book Company, New York.

USDA. 1987. Wood Handbook:Wood as an Engineering Material. Agriculture Handbook No. 72. United States Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Madison, Wisconsin.

USDA. 1988. Dry Kiln Operators Manual, Preliminary Copy. Forest Service, Forest Products Laboratory, Madison, Wisconsin.

Western Wood Products Association. 19__. Softwoods of the Western USA. Published and Distributed by the Western Wood Products Association, Yeon Building, 522 S.W. Fifth Avenue, Portland, Oregon.









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