What kind of wood is fir? What does fir smell like?

Tips for Softwood Fir

Chinese fir is a type of softwood and a fast-growing commercial timber species unique to China. The wood has straight grain, uniform structure, no warping or cracking, light and tough material, moderate strength, and high quality coefficient. It has a fragrant aroma .

The wood contains " Shan Nao " , which is insect-resistant and decay-resistant and easy to process.

Before buying fir furniture, you must find out whether fir furniture is good or not. Now follow me to learn about the advantages and disadvantages of fir furniture in detail!

advantage

1. Chinese fir has a natural wood fragrance that has many beneficial effects on the human body! Furthermore, the cedarwood alcohol contained in Chinese fir furniture kills airborne bacteria, inhibits human pathogens, and has a suppressive effect on various skin inflammations. It also has health benefits such as fatigue relief and stress relief! It's environmentally friendly and has a unique aroma.

2. Regardless of the type of furniture, the first thing we notice is its appearance. The first impression a piece of furniture makes on consumers is crucial. Chinese fir furniture embodies a pure, natural style in appearance, and is generally made without any additives. This allows the wood's natural color to be fully displayed, resulting in a very natural and harmonious appearance.

3. The lines of fir furniture are very beautiful, and the color distribution of fir furniture is also very uniform. Fir furniture is a wood material that grows very slowly during its growth process. As everyone knows, the longer the wood grows, the better its quality. Therefore, fir wood is excellent in terms of material and texture. Fir furniture has a tough texture and is light, making it the first choice for furniture making.

shortcoming

1. The board of fir furniture is relatively light compared to other solid wood furniture. Therefore, fir furniture cannot be used as artificial board; fir furniture is also not suitable for being placed in a high temperature environment, otherwise it will easily cause the fir furniture to crack and deform.

2. Fir furniture is usually made with the original color of the fir wood and is not painted, so that the original characteristics of the fir furniture are preserved. However, this also makes fir furniture difficult to maintain. Over time, long-term friction on fir furniture will leave some unsightly colors on it. Fir furniture itself is also relatively elegant in color, so it is difficult to maintain the color of fir furniture.

Softwood. Russian fir is a fast-growing timber, reaching maturity in four to six years. Due to its rapid growth, its wood fibers are naturally loose and have a high moisture content, making it a softwood. It cannot be used for furniture and is generally used to make paper pulp, blockboard, and closed-mold density fiberboard.

Russia's northern regions are dominated by coniferous forests, with spruce species, including Norway spruce, being the dominant species.

Solid wood furniture has always been a favorite, not only for its environmental friendliness but also for its natural texture, evoking a sense of belonging to nature. However, solid wood furniture is available in a wide variety of materials, and the quality varies widely. Do you know which solid woods are the most reliable? Let's find out.

Solid wood species - fir

Chinese fir is arguably the cheapest solid wood available. It's a fast-growing commercial timber species unique to my country, characterized by rapid growth, high-quality wood, straight grain, uniform structure, lightness, toughness, and moderate strength. Chinese fir has a fragrant aroma and contains "sugar brain," which is insect-resistant, rot-resistant, and easy to process. As a softwood, Chinese fir has two major drawbacks. First, because it's a fast-growing timber with a maturity period of 4-6 years, its wood fibers are loose and contain a high moisture content, resulting in a soft surface that's easily scratched by external forces. Second, its numerous scars, with black scars appearing at regular intervals, are common. Consequently, Chinese fir is rarely used in furniture. Instead, it's used to make paper pulp, blockboard, density board, particleboard, keels, or finger-jointed boards for furniture lining.

Solid wood species - pine

Pine makes up a large portion of solid wood furniture, especially children's furniture. There are two main types of pine wood used for pine furniture: Masson pine and Scots pine. Scots pine is the main wood and is an important raw material for man-made fiberboard in interior decoration. Masson pine has straight or unevenly inclined grain and a medium to coarse structure. Its disadvantage is that it warps and cracks severely when drying. It is not resistant to corrosion and has poor paint and gluing properties. It has strong nail holding power and is relatively less used as a woodworking board in furniture. The price of woodworking board is generally about three times that of the same size fir integrated board or core board. Scots pine is widely used as a material for mid-range solid wood furniture. Pine wood has a relatively clear texture and good quality. Compared with fir, Scots pine has more beautiful wood grain and fewer wood knots.

Solid wood species - ash

Fraxinus mandshurica is the most widely used decorative panel. Its scientific name is Fraxinus chinensis, and it is primarily produced in Northeast and North my country, as well as Russia. Its greatest advantage lies in its beautiful, distinct grain. When used as a veneer or furniture piece, a varnish or whitewash maximizes its beautiful pattern, making it well-suited for modern, minimalist styles. Furthermore, ash panels are relatively affordable. However, its disadvantage is that, when used as solid wood furniture, it can deform significantly. Therefore, when using ash in solid wood construction, it is often joined together using smaller pieces. The ash furniture you see in furniture stores often features a solid ash frame, with large areas covered in ash veneer due to its high deformation and shrinkage.

Solid wood species - oak

Oak is a popular decorative wood. Oak is a common name, but its scientific name is Quercus rubra. Red oak is called Quercus rubra, and white oak is called Quercus rubra. In reality, red oak isn't actually red, but rather a pinkish-yellowish color. White oak isn't white, but rather a light yellow. The difference between red and white oak isn't significant. Oak is characterized by its hardness, straight grain, coarse structure, elegant color, and beautiful texture. It has considerable mechanical strength and is resistant to wear, but it's not easily sawn or chipped when dried. Large areas of oak can also deform significantly. Oak also has a distinct pattern of vertical and horizontal grain, with vertical grain being more attractive and slightly more expensive. One caveat when using oak is that many use Southeast Asian rubberwood as fake oak, so be mindful when purchasing lumber and furniture. Rubberwood can be identified by its odor and susceptibility to insect infestation and corrosion.

Solid wood species - camphor wood

The most distinctive feature of this solid wood is its rich aroma, which repels insects, prevents moths, prevents mildew, and kills bacteria. Mothballs are made from the fragrance extracted from camphor wood. The tree has a large diameter, a wide wood width, and beautiful patterns. Camphor wood has a fine, dense texture with a naturally beautiful grain. Its tough texture is resistant to breaking and cracking, making it a preferred material for carving since ancient times. In decoration, camphor wood is primarily used for back panels and drawer panels in furniture, especially suitcases, bookcases, and cabinets. However, camphor wood is rarely used to make beds because its aroma can affect sleep quality, causing excitement and even insomnia. It can also cause dizziness, weakness, nausea, and vomiting.

Solid wood species - elm

Elm wood has a wide width and a soft, fine texture. It has a low deformation rate, a tough texture, a clear and distinct grain, and moderate hardness and strength, making it suitable for carving. Its planed surface is smooth, with beautiful patterns, including "wenge" patterns, making it suitable for furniture and decoration. Furniture made from elm has a rough texture and a simple style. Elm wood is also very cost-effective.

Solid wood species - beech

Beech, also known as elm, is native to southern my country. Its wood is strong and beautifully grained, making it suitable for use in construction and furniture. There are many species of beech, the reddish-brown heartwood of which is known as "blood beech." Some beech trees have large, naturally beautiful patterns, their color resembling rosewood. In ancient China, there was a saying that "elm in the north and beech in the south" refers to the fact that northern furniture was primarily made of elm, while southern furniture was made of beech. Therefore, both elm and beech were excellent woods for furniture in the past, used for beds, tables, cabinets, and more. Beech can also be used as veneer.

Solid wood species - walnut

Commonly known as walnut, it is one of the most prized woods in the world, particularly in Europe, where it is considered one of the three most valuable woods, along with mahogany and oak. High-end European furniture often utilizes these woods, but in my country, walnut is not as prominent as it is in Europe. Walnut has a medium to slightly hard hardness, a fine and uniform fiber structure, and strong toughness. It is particularly resistant to vibration and wear, and has a certain degree of resistance to bending and corrosion. Walnut furniture is almost unique to Shanxi. Although it can be found in other regions, it is not as concentrated or high-quality as in Shanxi. Walnut wood found in the south is generally imported, and the price of walnut wood produced in different regions varies greatly, so it is important to be aware of this.

Solid wood species - redwood

The term "rosewood" originated in the late Qing Dynasty. At that time, in order to distinguish traditional red sandalwood and huanghuali furniture, the rosewood hardwood with a deep red heartwood imported from Southeast Asia was called "rosewood". In modern times, my country has combined the traditional materials used in the Ming and Qing Dynasties with the modern commonly used dark wood imported from abroad to re-establish the rosewood standard. The new national standard stipulates that 2 families, five genera, eight categories and 33 tree species of wood are called rosewood, and some of these woods are not all red in color.

This article summarizes nine types of solid wood: first, the cheapest solid fir; second, solid pine, often used in children's furniture; third, ash, used for veneer and furniture; fourth, the most popular solid oak; fifth, camphor, often used for furniture backs and drawers; sixth, the cost-effective elm; seventh, beech, used for beds, tables, or veneer; eighth, the most valuable walnut; and ninth, redwood, a hardwood. You can choose according to your needs. We hope this helps.

MuTouYun Timber Encyclopedia

Chinese fir

Chinese fir is one of the cheapest solid woods available and a fast-growing commercial timber species unique to my country. It is characterized by rapid growth, high-quality wood, straight grain, uniform structure, light and tough texture, moderate strength, and a fragrant aroma. The wood contains "sugar brain," which is insect-resistant and decay-resistant, making it easy to process. Chinese fir is a softwood, but it has two main disadvantages: loose wood fibers, a high moisture content, a relatively soft surface, and is easily scratched by external forces; and numerous scars, with black scars appearing at regular intervals. Therefore, Chinese fir is rarely used in furniture, but is instead used to make paper pulp, blockboard, density board, particleboard, keels, or finger-jointed boards for furniture interior panels.

pine

Pine makes up a significant portion of solid wood furniture, particularly children's furniture. There are two primary types of pine furniture: Masson pine and Scots pine. Scots pine is the primary wood, and it's a key raw material for man-made fiberboard. Masson pine has a straight or unevenly slanted grain and a medium to coarse structure. Its disadvantages include severe warping and cracking during drying, poor corrosion resistance, and poor paint and gluing properties. Relatively speaking, pine is less commonly used as a woodworking board in furniture, and its price is generally around three times that of similar-sized fir integrated boards or core boards. Scots pine is widely used in mid-range solid wood furniture. Pine has a clearer grain and a higher quality finish. Compared to fir, Scots pine has a more beautiful grain and fewer knots.

Fraxinus mandshurica

Manchurian ash, scientifically known as Fraxinus chinensis, is the most widely used decorative panel. Its primary production areas are Northeast and North my country, as well as Russia. Its greatest advantage lies in its beautiful, clear grain, which is well-suited to modern minimalist styles. Manchurian ash panels are also relatively affordable. However, their disadvantage is that they can deform significantly when used in solid wood furniture. Therefore, when using Manchurian ash for solid wood furniture, small pieces of wood are often used for splicing.

oak

Oak is a popular decorative wood. Its scientific name is Quercus. Red oak isn't actually red, but rather a pinkish-yellow hue. White oak isn't white, but rather a light yellow. Oak is characterized by its hardness, straight grain, coarse structure, elegant color, and beautiful texture. It also boasts considerable mechanical strength and resistance to wear. However, the wood is not easily sawn or cut when dried. Large areas of oak can deform significantly, and oak's pattern also varies between straight and horizontal grains. A word of caution about oak: many use Southeast Asian rubberwood as an impersonation. Be mindful of this when purchasing wood or furniture. Rubberwood can be identified by its odor and susceptibility to insect infestation and corrosion.

camphor wood

The most distinctive feature of camphorwood is its rich aroma, which repels insects, prevents moths, prevents mildew, and kills bacteria. Mothballs are made from the fragrance extracted from camphorwood. Camphorwood has a fine, naturally beautiful grain, a tough texture that resists breaking and cracking, and has been a preferred material for carving since ancient times. In decoration, camphorwood is primarily used for back panels and drawers in furniture, especially trunks, bookcases, and cabinets. However, camphorwood is rarely used in beds because its aroma can affect sleep quality, causing irritation and even insomnia. It can also cause dizziness, weakness, nausea, and vomiting.

Elm

Elm has a small deformation rate, tough wood, clear texture, moderate hardness and strength, suitable for carving, smooth planed surface, beautiful tangent surface pattern, and can be used for furniture, decoration, etc. Furniture made of elm has a rough texture, simple style and high cost performance.

Beech

Beech, also known as elm, is native to southern my country. Its strong wood and beautiful grain make it suitable for use in construction and furniture. There are many species of beech, including one with a reddish-brown centerwood, known as "blood beech." Some beech trees have naturally beautiful large patterns, their color resembling rosewood. In ancient China, there was a saying that "elm in the north and beech in the south" meant that northern furniture was primarily made of elm, while southern furniture was made of beech. Therefore, both elm and beech were excellent woods for furniture in the past, used for beds, tables, cabinets, and more. Beech can also be used as veneer.

Walnut

Walnut is one of the most prized woods in the world, particularly in Europe. It has a medium to slightly hard hardness, a fine and uniform fiber structure, and strong toughness. It is particularly resistant to vibration and abrasion, and possesses a certain degree of resistance to bending and corrosion. Walnut furniture is almost unique to Shanxi. While it can be found in other regions, it is not as concentrated or high-quality as in Shanxi. Walnut wood found in the south is generally imported.

Redwood

Rosewood refers to solid wood materials with a thickness of at least 10mm. In my country, it combines traditional wood materials from the Ming and Qing dynasties with modern, imported dark woods. The new national standard defines rosewood as belonging to two families, five genera, eight classes, and 33 species. Some of these woods are not necessarily red.

Above are nine common types of solid wood. Fir and pine are the cheapest solid wood materials, ash is suitable for veneer, oak is a popular decorative wood, camphor wood repels insects, elm and beech were both excellent woods for furniture in the past, and walnut and rosewood are both valuable woods. You can choose according to your needs.

Chinese fir is a mid-range timber with a moderate price and a wide range of uses, often used in furniture, construction, flooring, and other fields. Its soft texture makes it easy to work, but it lacks the hardness and durability to withstand the elements. In the timber market, Chinese fir prices are generally stable, not as volatile as higher-end timbers.

Because I don't know what kind of outdoor furniture you are making, I can only tell you the characteristics of these materials:

Chinese fir is an evergreen tree with a wide variety of species. It is light and soft, resistant to decay and insect damage, and exhibits minimal deformation. Since ancient times, it has been a common material for construction, shipbuilding, and various types of furniture, especially for ordinary folk furniture. It is considered a mid-range wood.

Eucalyptus: This wood is of moderate weight, with straight or diagonal, interlaced grain, a slightly coarse structure, and is easy to work with. It has good gluing properties. It may warp and crack slightly during drying. It is considered a low-quality wood.

Hardwood: This is a general term, not a specific tree species. Oak, ash, white ash, birch, elm, and jujube are all examples of hardwood. They are commonly processed into veneer, core board, long and medium-length boards, artificial boards, container boards, various multi-layer boards requiring strength and weight, and flooring veneers. Advantages: attractive wood grain, high hardness, and wear and corrosion resistance. Disadvantages: difficulty in processing and scarcity of raw materials.

Anticorrosive wood: Wood that has undergone a special antiseptic treatment, making it resistant to rot, termites, and fungi. Designed specifically for outdoor use, it can be used directly in environments with water and soil. It's the preferred material for outdoor wood floors, landscape flooring, outdoor decks, patio flooring, outdoor wooden planks, and other outdoor anticorrosive wood awnings.

So, what exactly do you want your outdoor furniture to be? A gazebo? A ceiling? Tables and chairs? A deck? Use the above attributes to help you choose! Good luck!

Because I don't know what kind of outdoor furniture you are making, I can only tell you the characteristics of these materials:

Chinese fir is an evergreen tree with a wide variety of species. It is light and soft, resistant to decay and insect damage, and exhibits minimal deformation. Since ancient times, it has been a common material for construction, shipbuilding, and various types of furniture, especially for ordinary folk furniture. It is considered a mid-range wood.

Eucalyptus: This wood is of moderate weight, with straight or diagonal, interlaced grain, a slightly coarse structure, and is easy to work with. It has good gluing properties. It may warp and crack slightly during drying. It is considered a low-quality wood.

Hardwood: This is a general term, not a specific tree species. Oak, ash, white ash, birch, elm, and jujube are all considered hardwood. They are commonly processed into veneer, core board, long and medium-length boards, artificial boards, container boards, various multi-layer boards requiring strength and weight, and flooring veneers. Advantages include attractive wood grain, high hardness, and resistance to wear and corrosion. Disadvantages include difficulty in processing, prone to shavings, and scarcity of raw materials.

Anticorrosive wood: wood that has been specially treated to prevent decay, termites, and fungi.

Chinese fir, a member of the Taxodiaceae family, is a large evergreen tree, reaching heights of 30 to 40 meters and a diameter at breast height of over 3 meters. Its crown is spire-shaped, and its trunk is straight and round. Chinese fir is widely distributed in my country, cultivated in 16 provinces and autonomous regions. Native to my country, it is a major timber species unique to the country and one of the oldest trees. Records of it date back to the Zhou Dynasty, with the "Er Ya" chapter, "Shi Mu," referring to it as "Yan Zhan." Chinese fir cultivation has a history of at least 1,600 years. In the fourth year of the Xianhe reign of the Jin Dynasty (329 AD), Tao Kan, while serving as the Grand Commandant of Changsha, planted a fir grove on Yuelu Mountain, known as "Shan An." It wasn't until the second year of the Xianfeng reign of the Qing Dynasty (1852 AD) that the Taiping Rebellion attacked Changsha, and Shan An was destroyed in the fighting. Based on this estimate, Tao Kan's fir trees survived for 1,500 years. Chinese fir is a fast-growing, high-yielding, and long-lived species, reaching maturity in just eight years in its central growing areas. A 20-year-old Chinese fir tree increases its diameter at breast height by 1 centimeter and its height by 1 meter annually. In Xiaba, Taiping Village, Donghuang Town, 8 kilometers southwest of Xishui County, Guizhou Province, stands a rare giant fir tree. It stands 44.66 meters tall, has a diameter at breast height of 2.5 meters, a girth of 7.85 meters, a crown width of 22.66 meters, and a trunk volume of 48 cubic meters. After repeated observations by domestic experts, the Xishui Taiping giant fir is recognized as the tallest extant Chinese fir tree, designated the "Crown of Giant Sequoias" and named the "Chinese Fir King." Chinese fir has a wide range of uses, earning it the nickname "the universal wood." It is widely used in various types of construction, shipbuilding, and vehicle construction. Throughout Chinese history, emperors used fir as beams for their palaces and mausoleums. Many of Beijing's magnificent ancient buildings are constructed of fir. Chinese fir has straight grain, uniform structure, no warping or cracking, contains "sand brain", has a fragrant smell, is anti-corrosion, insect-resistant, and water-resistant. As early as the Han Dynasty, it was used as a high-quality material for coffins. In 1972, the coffin board unearthed from the No. 1 Han Tomb of Mawangdui in Changsha was made of Chinese fir. After more than 2,000 years, it has not rotted and effectively protected the body.

The wood is yellowish-white, sometimes with a light reddish-brown heartwood. It is soft, delicate, fragrant, straight-grained, easy to process, has a specific gravity of 0.38, is resistant to decay, and is not eaten by termites.

It is used for construction, bridges, shipbuilding, mine pillars, wooden piles, electric poles, furniture and wood fiber industry raw materials.

Fir boards are thick and give people a warm feeling. Because they are made of solid wood strips directly connected, they are more environmentally friendly and more moisture-resistant than core boards .

Fir boards can be single-sided knotless, double-sided knotless, or with knots. Single-sided knotless ones are usually chosen because they are moderately priced and the cabinets made from them are beautiful.

The upper limit of the vertical distribution of Chinese fir growth environment often varies with the terrain and climatic conditions. In the Dabie Mountain area in eastern China , the altitude is below 700 meters, in the Daiyun Mountain area in Fujian, the altitude is below 1000 meters, in the Emei Mountain in Sichuan , the altitude is below 1800 meters, and in Dali, Yunnan, the altitude is below 1000 meters.

Below 2,500 meters above sea level.

Chinese fir is a subtropical tree that prefers light. It prefers a warm, humid climate with frequent fog and calm winds. It cannot tolerate extreme cold, heat, and humidity , and is sensitive to wind and drought. It adapts to climates with an average annual temperature of 15-23°C, a minimum of -17°C, and annual precipitation of 100 mm. Its cold tolerance outweighs its drought tolerance, and moisture influences it more than temperature. It is sensitive to salinity and alkalinity, and its soil requirements are more stringent than those of other tree species, preferring fertile, deep, moist, well-drained, acidic soil.

The above content is for reference

Baidu Encyclopedia - fir ;

Baidu Encyclopedia - Fir Board

1. Compared with hardwood materials, fir is light and soft, easy to dry, has little shrinkage, and is not easy to warp, crack or deform. Cork is easy to process and has good gluing properties, making it a very popular raw material for wood processors.

2. The natural fragrance of fir is not just pleasant. The fragrance factors evaporated from fir in the air contain cedar alcohol, which can kill bacteria in the air and has a good inhibitory effect on fungal skin inflammation in the human body.

3. The natural stripes of fir are full and solid, quiet and soft, and well-arranged, showing the beauty of nature. It is especially suitable for North American or pastoral style home decoration.

4. The natural harmony, balance and beauty of fir can create a warm and harmonious family atmosphere, which is more conducive to the physical and mental health of the family and promotes the relationship between husband and wife.

5. Fir itself has medicinal value and can refresh the mind and relieve fatigue.

6. Fir wood is tough and light, economical and practical.

7. Fir has low oil content and is environmentally friendly and practical.