# Spruce vs Fir Lumber



## czeigler (Feb 19, 2008)

Is there much difference between the two grade wise???


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## Burvol (Feb 19, 2008)

If you speak of good old west coast Doug Fir, night and day. White Fir varieties are probably about the same if not a little worse.


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## czeigler (Feb 19, 2008)

Nope, just the Good ole' Eastern Trees here. 

I just got called from a local golfcourse (Which i have been on a list to get called) to come pick up roughly 22 logs which are anywhere from 10" diameter to 30" and are a mixture of Spruce and Fir. 

They are FREE (can't complain there!). But i have never milled any. 
Only white pine and hemlock. Everything thing else we milled has been Hardwoods.

Just wondering if anyone has milled some and what they used it for:

2x's, 4x's, boards, etc...


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## MJR (Feb 19, 2008)

Last summer I milled some Norway Spruce for framing lumber. It was used in my hunting camp. It was very easy to work with. Some sap issues with the band blade and bunks. I cut the trees in May. I would take free trees in a heart beat. It will not spilt like Hemlock or give you as much slivers as Hemlock. I did not notice much difference with it and Red pine. Good luck.


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## Burvol (Feb 19, 2008)

White wood is ok to frame with, and use verticle. Lacks load bearing weight horizontally.


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## DRB (Feb 19, 2008)

czeigler said:


> Nope, just the Good ole' Eastern Trees here.
> 
> I just got called from a local golfcourse (Which i have been on a list to get called) to come pick up roughly 22 logs which are anywhere from 10" diameter to 30" and are a mixture of Spruce and Fir.
> 
> ...



Out here on the west coast the lumber designation SPF refers to all Spruce species (except sitka spruce), Lodgepole Pine, Alpine & Balsam Fir. I would think that what you are getting could be used the same as SPF.

I would use it for framing lumber. Nice to work with, holds nails well, light, strong its what all houses around here are made from.

Be sure to keep it dry as it does seem to rot fairly quickly.

I would mill it.


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## BIG JAKE (Feb 19, 2008)

When I was building my house, I was going to use a Laminated beam to support 24 ft of roof over a porch. I found that an 8X12X24ft #1 grade douglas fir beam would handle the same load at 1/3 less cost to the lam. The beam has been in place for 13 years now with no perceptable deflection. There was some twisting, but that's the way trees are. In short, the doug fir handles loads well-can't tell you about spruce.


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## DRB (Feb 19, 2008)

BIG JAKE said:


> When I was building my house, I was going to use a Laminated beam to support 24 ft of roof over a porch. I found that an 8X12X24ft #1 grade douglas fir beam would handle the same load at 1/3 less cost to the lam. The beam has been in place for 13 years now with no perceptable deflection. There was some twisting, but that's the way trees are. In short, the doug fir handles loads well-can't tell you about spruce.



Doug Fir is a different species than Balsam or Alpine Fir and is graded differently. Doug fir has a higher span rating than Spruce or Fir. SPF still makes great framing lumber as it is lighter & easier to nail.


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## czeigler (Feb 23, 2008)

*Thursday's Work!*

Here are some of the logs we brought home on Thursday. Only had enough time to pick up 1 loads worth after work. Still have about 20 logs to pick up yet.


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