Short answer: no, Douglas fir is not hardwood. Douglas fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii) is softwood in durability class 3. Hardwood comes from broadleaved trees, such as okan, azobé and oak heartwood, and usually falls into class 1 or 2. At Houthandel Jan Sok in Meppel both are ready and waiting, and we advise on the basis of your project, not on the basis of a nice-sounding term.
Is Douglas fir timber hardwood?
In everyday speech, sturdy garden timber is sometimes called hardwood, but technically that is not correct. Douglas fir is softwood: lighter, quick to saw and screw, warm reddish-brown, and fine for fences, canopies and decking above ground. Hardwood is denser and heavier and copes better with soil and water.
Category: Douglas fir is softwood, hardwood comes from broadleaved trees, often tropical. Class: Douglas fir is class 3, hardwood usually 1 to 2. In the ground: Douglas fir not permanently, hardwood yes with the right species. Price: Douglas fir sits in the middle, hardwood is higher. Use: Douglas fir for fences, canopies and façades; hardwood for decking, bank protection and heavy outdoor construction.
When should you choose hardwood?
- Decking with heavy foot traffic and as many years as possible.
- Bank protection or sheet piling at the waterline.
- Posts or substructures that are always wet.
Also read the comparison hardwood vs Douglas fir and the explanation what is hardwood, or view our hardwood and Douglas fir in the shop.
Why do people think Douglas fir is hardwood?
Douglas fir feels sturdy. It is heavier and harder than spruce or pine. Its colour is also warm and red, just like some hardwood species. That is why people sometimes call it hardwood. But the name says something about the tree, not about how hard the board is. Douglas fir comes from a conifer. Hardwood comes from a broadleaved tree.
What does class 3 mean for your project?
The class tells you how long timber lasts outdoors without treatment. Class 1 lasts the longest, class 5 the shortest. Douglas fir is in class 3. That is good for timber above ground. Think of a fence, façade, canopy or garden room. If you put Douglas fir in wet ground, it lasts much less long. Use hardwood there, or set the post on a concrete footing.
Class 3 does not mean Douglas fir is weak. It is strong enough for beams and posts in a canopy. It just does not last as long if it is constantly wet.
Douglas fir or hardwood: a quick choice
- Above ground and dry: Douglas fir is enough.
- In the ground or in water: choose hardwood.
- Lots of foot traffic on a deck: hardwood lasts longer.
- Light job and cutting it yourself: Douglas fir is easier to work.
Want to know more? Read what is Douglas fir, how long does Douglas fir last and when you do not need hardwood.
In short
Douglas fir is not hardwood, because it comes from a conifer. It is, however, strong, attractive and long-lasting above ground. In the ground it does not last as long; there you choose hardwood, or you set the post on a footing. Not sure which timber suits your project? Feel free to call or email us.
Tips from the yard
Do not set a Douglas fir post directly in the ground, but on a footing. Make sure air can reach the timber, use stainless steel screws and saw with a sharp blade for clean edges. That way you will enjoy your timber for a long time.
Frequently asked questions
Is Douglas fir hardwood?
No. Douglas fir is softwood in class 3.
Is Douglas fir timber hardwood?
No. That is the same mistaken assumption. Only choose hardwood when the job calls for it.
Is pine hardwood?
No. Pine is also softwood. See what is pine.
