Douglas fir is perfectly suited to the installation of exterior wood cladding. Both solid and aesthetically pleasing, Douglas fir is frequently used for exterior wood facades.
In this guide, our expert Yvon Debeaumont answers all your questions about Douglas fir cladding.
Native to the north-west coast of the United States, Douglas fir is known as Oregon pine. In Europe, it is known as Douglas Fir. These two commercial names refer to the same botanical species: Pseudotsuga menziesii.
Douglas fir was imported into Europe, particularly France, in the post-war period. Douglas fir was planted to afforest bare land and wasteland. The rapid growth of Douglas fir means that a regular harvest of wood can be obtained to meet a wide range of construction needs. At Sivalbp, Douglas fir comes exclusively from France. PEFC certification (PEFC/10-31-1593) guarantees a limited carbon impact.
| Origin | Origine |
| Use of class | class 3.2 (sapwood purged or preserved) |
| Certification | PEFC - Bois de France french label |
| Type | medium-hard wood |
| Density | 520 kg / m3 |
| Durability | good (natural durability class II) |
| Suggested quality | A/B choice |
| Dimensional stability | good stability |
| Use | wood cladding, structure, framework, terrace, provided it is sapwood-free and perfectly ventilated |
Credits: Haute Gironde Business Incubator and Business Centre - Architect / CoCo Architecture - Project Manager / Estuaire Community of Communes - Photographer Edouard Decam
Naturally durable, Douglas fir is a rustic, solid and resistant wood that is perfectly suited to outdoor construction. However, to preserve the aesthetic appeal of your Douglas fir cladding, there are a few rules to follow.
Class 3 Douglas fir is extremely robust over time if it is 100% sapwood free. Its mechanical strength makes this wood a highly sought-after material for carpentry. Optimal ageing of Douglas fir depends on :
At Sivalbp, we offer a wide range of finishes to ensure the aesthetic durability of your Douglas fir facades. We offer several types of saturator finish for our Douglas wood cladding: discover all our Douglas wood cladding.
For wood cladding with natural wood tones, choose our range of Douglas fir wood cladding from the Elégance range. We offer a wide range of colours that respect the natural accents of wood. The benefits of saturated Douglas fir wood cladding in wood tones:
To anticipate the effects of time and the natural greying of wood, we have developed a range of New Age Douglas fir cladding. The range of different shades of grey can be used to dress exterior facades and anticipate the effects of time for even, aesthetic ageing.
What are the advantages of Douglas fir cladding with pre-weathered saturator?
Are you wondering how to keep the original colour of Douglas fir? All wood naturally turns grey if it is not maintained or if it does not have a top coat (saturator, paint, stain, oil, etc.). Choose a solvent-free saturator finish for optimum protection of your wood cladding against UV rays and bad weather.
For maintenance or installation advice on Douglas fir, contact our experts directly.
To maintain the natural, attractive colour of Douglas fir, avoid treatment with a covering or film-forming product such as varnish or paint. Douglas fir is a wood that is difficult to impregnate. For optimum treatment of your Douglas fir cladding, the experts at Sivalbp recommend the use of saturators for wood cladding. Our saturator finishes are solvent-free, non-film-forming and penetrate deep into the wood fibres for optimum protection.
Vertical cladding - Douglas fir - New Age - Gris 102 - Trapezo profile
Vertical installation of Douglas fir with board-and-batten is the most traditional installation technique. This method gives the building a slender appearance. To install Douglas fir cladding vertically, the tongue must be positioned facing the prevailing wind. The bottom of the boards are chamfered to allow water to drain away.
Horizontal cladding - Douglas fir - New Age - Irisé 102 - Soléa II profile
Horizontal installation of Douglas fir cladding is the most popular technique. It gives the appearance of a taller building thanks to the lines of flight. Sivalbp boards are end-grooved for perfect joints. Sivalbp profiles with concealed fastenings guarantee the stability of the boards and the longevity of the finish.
Douglas fir wood offers excellent value for money. This type of wood is one of the first choices for high-quality wood cladding solutions. Douglas fir cladding is suitable for a wide range of projects in many different parts of France:
Would you like to know how much Douglas fir cladding costs? Contact our wood experts for a quote on your Douglas fir cladding.
If you're looking for an alternative to Douglas fir cladding, choose EcoThermo Scots Pine from Sivalbp. Our Ecothermo process gives our Scots Pine wood cladding :
This table shows the different characteristics of Douglas fir versus Scots pine.
| Wood species | Price | Singularities | Wood aspect | Ageing | Class of use | Origin |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Douglas & Red Douglas fir | €€ | Medium veining, medium to coarse knots, marked singularities | Heartwood salmon pink to reddish brown. Creamy white to yellow sapwood | Without a Sivalbp protection solution, the cladding will develop in an uncontrolled manner | 3 | France |
| Scots Pine | €€ | Fine veining, medium knots | Pinkish to reddish brown heartwood, well-differentiated yellowish-white sapwood | *** | 3 | Scandinavia |
At Sivalbp, we offer a wide range of Douglas fir cladding. All our Douglas fir cladding comes from French forests and is entirely manufactured at our production site in Thônes, Haute Savoie.
Choose our Elegance range of Douglas fir cladding with its wood tones saturators for sublime Douglas fir cladding.
Choose our New Age range of Douglas fir cladding with these pre-weathered saturators to anticipate the effects of time and add a contemporary touch to your facades.
For natural wood cladding without saturator, choose our Authentic range of Douglas fir wood cladding.
For more advice on Douglas fir cladding, contact our experts directly - they'll be able to tell you which cladding is best suited to your project!
