White Fir
Abies concolor · softwood · Western US · moderate movement
- Janka hardness 480 lbfred oak ≈ 1,290 lbf
- Density ≈ 27 lb/ft³specific gravity 0.39 at 12% MC
- Shrinkage — tangential 7%flatsawn width, green → ovendry
- Shrinkage — radial 3.3%quartersawn width
- T/R ratio 2.1 : 1higher = more cupping in flatsawn stock
Shop notes Pale, odorless western construction fir; machines cleanly for paint-grade shelving and shop fixtures.
Seasonal movement at a glance
Width change for white fir across a typical indoor year — 6% moisture content in the heated winter to 12% in a humid summer:
| Board width | Flatsawn | Quartersawn |
|---|---|---|
| 6″ | 3/32″ (0.090″) | 1/32″ (0.042″) |
| 12″ | 3/16″ (0.180″) | 3/32″ (0.085″) |
| 24″ | 3/8″ (0.360″) | 5/32″ (0.170″) |
| 36″ | 17/32″ (0.540″) | 1/4″ (0.255″) |
Run your own numbers
Different width, different climate swing — the calculator below is preset to white fir:
Typical swings:
White Fir questions
How much does white fir move with the seasons?
A 12″-wide flatsawn white fir board moves about 3/16″ across a typical indoor swing from 6% to 12% moisture content; quartersawn, about 3/32″. Its tangential shrinkage is 7% and radial 3.3% (green to ovendry) — a moderate-movement wood.
How hard is white fir?
White Fir rates about 480 lbf on the Janka scale — soft enough to dent in daily use (red oak is roughly 1,290 lbf). Density runs about 27 lb/ft³ at indoor moisture levels.
Is white fir good for wide panels and tabletops?
Carefully. Its tangential-to-radial ratio of 2.1:1 makes flatsawn boards prone to cupping — choose quartersawn stock for wide glue-ups, alternate growth rings, and fasten tops so they can slide.
Similar species
Lodgepole Pine · Redwood · White Spruce · Incense-Cedar · Grand Fir · Red Spruce
Shrinkage, specific gravity, and hardness from the Wood Handbook, FPL-GTR-282 (2021 edition), USDA Forest Products Laboratory (public domain). Values are species averages — individual boards vary with growth conditions and how they were dried.