Subalpine Fir
Abies lasiocarpa (Hook.) Nutt. · Softwood · North America
Properties
| Janka hardness | 350 lbf (1,557 N) |
|---|---|
| Average dried weight (est.) | 20 lb/ft³ (320 kg/m³) |
| Specific gravity | 0.32 |
| Modulus of rupture | 8,600 psi (59.3 MPa) |
| Modulus of elasticity | 1.29 million psi (8.89 GPa) |
| Crushing strength | 4,860 psi (33.5 MPa) |
| Shrinkage — radial | 2.6% |
| Shrinkage — tangential | 7.4% |
| Shrinkage — volumetric | 9.4% |
| Shrinkage T/R ratio | 2.8 |
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.
Subalpine fir is one of the six western true firs marketed together as white fir. The western firs' wood is so similar across species that they cannot be distinguished from one another by the wood alone.
Appearance & grain
The true firs have light-colored wood, creamy white to pale brown, with heartwood and sapwood generally indistinguishable.
Workability
The wood is light in weight, and subalpine fir is the exception among the western firs in not exceeding balsam fir in strength. Shrinkage in the western true firs ranges from low to moderately high.
Common uses
- Building construction lumber
- Framing
- Subflooring
- Sheathing
- Boxes and crates
- Sashes and doors
- General millwork
Conservation: IUCN Red List: Least Concern (checked 2026-10-24).
