Douglas Fir l,rumber (Coast

Bv

Region)

Robert E. Mahaffay, Trode Extension Director \Uest Coast Lumbermen's Association

Douglas fir from the coastal region of Washington, Oregon and Northern California is one of the strongest woods, pound for pound, that has ever been tested. Tt enjoys a reputation throughout the u'orld as an all-pttrpose rvood o{ great dependability, and is sllprerne for both heavy and light construction. It commands respect n'herever it is used.

Coast Region Douglas fir is the most serviceable of all American sof twoods, being manuf actured into more use items than any other lumber soecies.

Through years of the most favorable grou'ing conditions, Coast Region Douglas fir has acquired the characteristics necessary to fine construction uses-stiffness, strength, ease of working, durability, and comparative freedom from rvarping, cupping or t'"r,'isting. These qualities have won it the preference of professional men, builders and consumers for cottage or mansion and industrial or utility use.

Carpenters and builders like to 'ivork with Douglas fir lumber since, rvhen in place, its performance and appearance rvin favorable comment from owner and architect alike. After framing, there is little or no distortion, pulled nails or black stain. These are among' the reasons for its popularity as framing members-sills, posts, beams, floor and ceiling joists, roof rafters, studding, plates, floor boards and sheathing. These items are available in various gradds; proper use of the lower grades where they will adequately serve the purpose, makes for economical construction. For exteriors, Douglas fir siding in various patterns is especially popular.

The appropriate grades of kiln-dried Douglas fir are excellent for the interior woodwork or finish of the finest residence as well as for the most modest summer cottage. The wood is beautifully figured, easily finished, and the color mellorvs with age. For interior trim, Douglas fir casing and base may be had in attractive patterns in both vertical and flat grain; it offers the advantages of a w'ortd having a substantial wearing surface that can be stained in engaging colors and that forms a fine base for both "vax and varnish finishes. Its beauty and serviceability are assets also in mouldings, milh,vork and stairrvays, and in rvindow sash and frames.

For interior floofs vertical grain Douglas fir presents a handsome appearance and will give long and worthy service; flat grain Douglas fir is recommended for surfaces which receive lesser degrees of wear and for floors to be covered rvith linoleum. For porch floors no material can equal vertical grain Douglas fir since it does not become slippery r'vhen wet, and when properly painted and otherrvise cared for it will not warp or buckle.

Douglas fir supplies the best in structural timbers. For trusses ofall sizes it offers superior strength values combined with greater ease in framing, lower erection costs. and lower dead weight. Structural timbers for this purpose are cut from straight-grained logs and remain straight as they season. The durability ofthis lumber is of eslrecial advantage in exposed trusses.

Close, straight-grained timbers for bridges and other types of heavy construction are produced from Douglas fir. Their stiffness and rigidity and their availability in reasonably long lengths, combined rvith r.veight thatis relatively lorv, permit the construction of spans of maximum length at minimum cost.

For highrvay bridges preservatively treated Douglas fir provides an economical long-lived installation rvhich can be easily dismantled and moved when highways are relocated.

It is used extensively in the construction of docks and rvharves. It provides piling, ties, timbers, plank, conduits, paving blocks and telephone and telegraph poles, either treated or untreated. Large quantities of Douglas fir timl>ers and planking are employed in mill or heavy timber construction. Construction of reinforced concrete buildings calls for forms lvhich are strong and stiff, and which rvill hold heavy masses of concrete rigidly in place. Douglas fir is l.ithout a peer for making fcrms for this purpose.

The railroads are exacting users of lumber; they are .rn1.Jng the largest users of Douglas fir. This species serves a mrrltitude of purposes, being popular among the carriers for ballasted deck bridges and trestles, station and other right-of-u'ay buildings, and many other items. It finds wide application as car material, giving high-caliber service for all softrvcod requirements, from clear siding to sills, framing and decking.

Again because of its strength, stiffness and durability, Douglas fir is sought for mine timbers, masts and spars, cross arms, wood stave pipe lines and flumes, ladders, tanks and tight cooperage. Its maximum stifiness and strength together rvith its light weight, make it desirable for crates and packing cases.

In the last tu,o rvars Douglas fir was the main suppl;r

Lashley Lumber Sales Co.' Inc.

SAN FRANCISCO T I

No. I Drumm Sfreei

DOuglos 2-5O7O

Teletype SF 653

O Distributors of Udt o speciofizins in stock rrom /lellcn UeAt eoalt /l4jlli son Frqncirco "suslqined Gluclity"

FTOYD W. ETLIOTT

Phone: DOuglas 2-4211

Fife Building

Lor Angeter

CHARLES E. KENDAIT

REPRESENTAIIVES Petioleum Securities Building

8770

42(l[J.- Bondini Boulevqrd tOS ANGELES 23, CAIIF.

Phone ANgelus 3-5133 source for items such as ship decking and margin pieces, barge framing, ship planking and scaffold plank as well as heavy shipyard construction material tl-rat was used in building and maintaining shipyards. From the keel to the topmast, every item in wood that is needed in shipbuilding is supplied by this species.

Douglas fir lumber supplies many industrial plants with special industrial clear items manufactured according to the particular user's specifications. These users require high quality, specially selected lumber possessing distinct qualities essential to each use requirement. Among such products are farm implement parts, laundry washers, truck bodies and fire extension ladder stock.

The fine-textured stock obtained from Douglas fir provides many industrial users with stock parts or complete items, such as doors, window frames, sash, jambs and trim. The exceptional workability, durability and finish options make Douglas fir an excellent value for such use. It is also extensively used for gutter, adding a graceful finish to the eaves.

The natural regenerative characteristics of Douglas fir in its native region, coupled with wise forest practice, give full assurance that there will be a permanent supply of this all-purpose timber to meet all foreseeable needs.

Our Short-sighted Critics

(Editorial from Aug. 1949 lssueof the British Columbia Lumberman)

Short-sighted critics in Congress and some sections of the American trade press have, with increasing frequency oi late, voiced protests against the use of ECA dollars for the purchase of British Columbia lumber for the United Kingdom to the alleged detriment of West Coast U.S. trade with that market.

Such myopic critics casually overlook, or are possibly unaware of, the fact that Canada is the best customer the United States of America has. As the biggest market for United States exports of all kinds, she annually spends hundreds of millions of dollars more for U.S.-made products than she receives by way of American purchases from the Dominion.

Since no small part of these imports from the United States is bought with dollars secured through the sale of Canadian goods, including lumber, in overseas markets, particularly the United Kingdom, the thinking American realizes that it is vital to Canada's ability to support her U.S. trade relations that her historic export lumber movement should be maintained on as high a level as current international trade restrictions will perrnit.

If Canadians are to continue to buy in volume from the United States they must have the necessary U.S. dollars. A substantial part of these dollars come from overseas exports which today are dependent to a large extent upon the availability of Marshall Aid funds.

American critics are inclined to overlook, too, the substantial stake which U.S. capital enjoys in this Dominion, a stake which increased by a billion dollars between 1939 and 1947.

According to the Bank of Montreal, official estimates reveal

Saleuaa, l/u, Kcaat (,4d ShodA Krn<r, Betha)

George J. Stow

George Stow, office manager and inside salesman for Roddis California, Inc., Los Angeles, has a great capacity for work, and is always happy when there is plenty to do, as there is in his present position.

He was born in New York City 36 years ago, and came to California in 1923. He went to school at St. Catherine's M.ilitary School in Anaheim, Calif., and graduated from Polytechnic High School, Los Angeles. He attended Los Angeles Junior College for a year, and then decided to go to work. His first job was driving a truck for Max Vener in the lumber hauling business. He worked up to office manager, and then rvent with Back Panel Company, Los Angeles. He r,vorked in the office, applied himself to learning the plyrvcod business, and became an inside salesman.

George J. Stow that United States-controlled manufacturing companies represented abort 37 per cent of the total capital invested in Canadian manufacturing in 1946. For Canadian industries as a whole, including non-manufacturing categories, the percentage of total capital investment which is U.S.-controlled is officially stated to be something less than 20 per cent.

In December, 1942, he rvent into the Service with the lO4tlr Infantry Division, spent a year in the United States, and about a year overseas, where he saw action in Belgium, Holland, and Germany.

He got out of the Army in December,1945, and returned immediately to Back Panel Company, where he sold plyu.ood, doors, hardwoods, and softwood lumber.

In June, 1947, he came to Roddis California, Inc., as order clerk. l{e was promoted to office manager in July, 1948. George is enthusiastic about the plywood and door business, and is truly glad that the period is over when he had to say no so often.

In February, 1946, George married Miss Shirley Tittley of Los Angeles. They have two little boys, Mike 2 and Stephen, l.

George is a member of American Legion Lumbermen's Post 4O3, Los Angeles, and of the 104th Timberwolf Association.

He is a numismatist, a collector of coins, and finds relaxation in the pursuit of his hobby.

Enlightened self-interest alone should go a long way towards silencing the voice of criticism in the American House and press.