European Whitewood, Silver Fir, Norway Spruce

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European Whitewood, Silver Fir, Norway Spruce

Whitewood, European

Latin name: Picea abies, Abies alba

Also known as: European whitewood, silver fir, Norway spruce

European whitewood, silver fir, Norway spruce

Wood Type:

Softwood

Durability:

Slightly durable

Treatability:

Extremely difficult

Moisture Movement:

Medium

Density (mean, Kg/m³):

470

Texture:

Medium

Availability:

Readily available at timber merchant

Price:

Low

Use(s):

Joinery – Exterior, Joinery – Interior, Flooring, Structural use, Cladding, Painted, Fire Retardant Painted Cladding, Premium C24 Graded Timber

Colour(s):

White/cream (to pale yellowish brown)

Introduction

Shipments of European whitewood are made up of both silver fir (Abies alba) and Norway spruce (Picea abies). The relevant information for both trees is included in this entry, including the mechanical properties. The structural species mix ‘British spruce’ comprises Norway spruce (Picea abies) and Sitka spruce (Picea sitchensis), grown in the UK and Ireland. The mechanical properties quoted for the UK are for this species mix.

As a wholesale supplier we supply various profiles in bundles and packs barcoded for the DIY and merchant shops. We manufacture deckings, flooring claddings either untreated or green or brown treated,, mouldings planed all round, or Planed Square Edge PAR, PSE, Bead and butt shiplap, tongue and groove, PAO, DAR etc. We also supply ready pressure treated in Green or Brown for UC3. We supply from half loads, mixed loads and full loads from our Puidukoda factory in Estonia. We cater for large projects, and also supply to timber merchants, and DIY shops in the UK and Ireland.

Used for the manufacture of premium cladding profiles especially factory finished cladding with 5/10 year warranty especially Nordic origin due to slow growth used in black painted featheredge or white claddings etc. Timber Focus is a wholesale supplier of machined spruce profiles in Shiplap Tongue and Groove, Decking and Supply.

Environmental

Not listed in CITES. Believed available from well-managed sources. We supply FSC Certified Timber as standard , PEFC Certified Timber can be ordered from us on request.

Distribution

Silver fir: Its natural habitat is in the mountain regions of Central and Southern Europe. It occurs in northern Spain, Corsica, and in the Balkans across Bulgaria to the Black Sea. In the east, it is found from Poznan in Poland, and south through Warsaw to the Carparthians. The tree was introduced into England in 1603.

Spruce, Norway: Widely distributed throughout Europe with the exception of Denmark and the Netherlands. Although classed as an introduced species to the UK there is ample evidence that the spruce was native when the upper beds of the Tertiary formations were laid down. There is no true record of its modern introduction, but it is known to be prior to 1548.

The tree

Silver fir: It grows to a height of about 37m with a diameter of about 1m but under favourable conditions it is often a larger tree. In open conditions of growth, it retains its lower branches for 40 or 50 years. but after that age they begin to fall off.

Spruce, Norway: Its average height is 36m with a diameter of 0.75m or more, but its best development is in the Carpathian mountains where it reaches 60m in height and up to 1.8m in diameter.

The timber

Silver fir: The timber closely resembles that of Norway spruce (Picea abies) but is slightly less lustrous. It is almost white in colour, with a yellowish-brown cast and faintly marked annual rings. The grain is straight, and the texture fine. The wood weighs 480 kg/m3 when dried.

Spruce, Norway: There is no difference by colour between sapwood and heartwood, the colour varying from almost white to pale yellowish-brown. The growth rings as seen on plain-sawn surfaces are less prominent than those of Scots pine (European redwood), and the wood is more lustrous. It has a straight grain and a rather fine texture. The weight of the wood is generally about 470 kg/m3 when dried. but is usually a little lower than this for timber grown in the UK and in parts of south-east Europe, due to the faster growth resulting from the relatively lower elevations and climatic conditions of these areas.

Drying

Silver fir: Dries rapidly and well, with little tendency to warp. There is a distinct tendency for knots to loosen and split.

Spruce, Norway: Dries rapidly and well, but with a tendency for knots to split and loosen.

Strength

Silver fir: Its general strength is similar to that of Norway spruce, but it is harder on side grain.

Spruce, Norway: Norway spruce in general is similar to Scots pine in all strength categories. That grown in the UK is rather weaker when green, but after drying there is little difference between the two types.

Working qualities

Good – Silver fir: The wood works and finishes in similar manner to that of Norway spruce. Spruce, Norway: The timber works easily both by hand or machine tools, and is capable of a smooth, clean finish. It takes stain, paint, varnish and glue satisfactorily, and nails and screws well.

For more information of Spruce :

European Whitewood, Silver Fir, Norway Spruce

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