Grand Fir

Abies grandis (Dougl. ex D. Don) Lindl. · Softwood · North America

Janka 490 lbf≈23 lb/ft³ dried (est.)

Properties

Janka hardness	490 lbf (2,180 N)
Average dried weight (est.)	23 lb/ft³ (370 kg/m³)
Specific gravity	0.37
Modulus of rupture	8,900 psi (61.4 MPa)
Modulus of elasticity	1.57 million psi (10.83 GPa)
Crushing strength	5,290 psi (36.5 MPa)
Shrinkage — radial	3.4%
Shrinkage — tangential	7.5%
Shrinkage — volumetric	11.0%
Shrinkage T/R ratio	2.2

Values at 12% moisture content, clear-wood averages. Source: USDA Forest Products Laboratory, Wood Handbook FPL-GTR-282 (2021), Table 5–3b p. 5–12; shrinkage Table 4–3 p. 4–8.

Grand fir is a western true fir (specific gravity 0.37, Janka hardness 490 lbf) whose wood cannot be separated from the other western firs by examination. Its lumber goes mainly into building construction, boxes and crates, planing-mill products, and general millwork.

Appearance & grain

Grand fir's wood resembles the eastern true firs, as do the other western true firs: light in weight and pale in color. The Handbook treats the western firs as a group because their woods are not distinguishable.

Workability

The western true firs are somewhat higher in strength than balsam fir, subalpine fir excepted, and their shrinkage runs from low to moderately high. Grand fir's own bending strength, 8,900 psi, is the lowest of the three western firs in this directory.