Canfor manages and harvests forests that contain a number of species. The dominant species mix for Canfor lumber products is Western Spruce-Pine-Fir (SPF). Canfor also manufactures lumber products using Eastern SPF. All of Canfor's SPF is ideal for residential and commercial construction. Compared to other species of framing lumber, SPF is straighter, more stable, lighter in weight and easier to cut and nail. These attributes have made SPF the dominant species of framing lumber in the world.
In addition to our SPF products Canfor also manufactures products from Douglas Fir, Hemlock, Cedar and Aspen. The species are utilized in groupings according to the NLGA grade rules.
Western SPF
Lumber/Plywood/Specialty Products
Four species, White Spruce (Picea glauca), Engelmann Spruce (Pice aengelmannii), Lodgepole Pine (Pinus contorta), and Alpine Fir (Abies lasiocarpa) comprise the spruce-pine-fir species group. All yield high grade timber with relatively small, sound tight knots. Lumber produced from spruce-pine-fir Species is marketed together as SPF.
SPF is ideal for residential and commercial construction due to it's low cost and high strength to weight ratio. Western SPF lumber tend to be available in larger sizes than eastern SPF due to the climate and size of logs. The combination of the species and growth conditions in western Canada result in tall straight trees which produces strong straight lumber that when dried correctly is stable and ideal for construction.
Canfor SPF lumber is seasoned uniformly in dry kilns to a moisture content of 19% or less. Kiln drying inhibits natural staining of the wood, improves its strength and stiffness, enhances its appearance and increases its resistance to decay and attack by insects.
SPF has a high strength-to-weight ratio and is well known for its outstanding working properties. It takes and holds nails exceptionally well and is easily worked with hand and power tools. It has good gluing, painting and staining properties
Eastern SPF
Lumber/Specialty products
SPF grown in Eastern Canada is made predominantly from White Spruce, Red Spruce Jack Pine and Balsam Fir. SPF is ideal for residential and commercial construction due to it's low cost and high strength to weight ratio. The combination of the species and growth conditions in Eastern Canada result in tall straight trees which produces strong straight lumber that when dried correctly is stable and ideal for construction.
Douglas Fir
Lumber/Plywood
Douglas fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii) is Canada's largest tree and comprises two distinct species: Coast Douglas fir and Interior Douglas fir. The sapwood is light in colour and of narrow width. The heartwood ranges from yellowish to reddish-brown. Earlywood and latewood have a pronounced difference in colour, the latewood having darker, more sharply defined bands. This colour difference results in a distinctive grain pattern when flat-sawn. The wood has a fine to medium texture, straight grain and is non-porous.
Douglas fir dries easily and rapidly, with little tendency to check and with good dimensional stability. The wood is hard, strong, straight-grained and seasons well. It machines reasonably well, has excellent turning properties, glues well and has moderate nail and screw holding ability. It can be used to make lumber and plywood products. It can be stained or painted to a very good finish.
Western red cedar
Specialty products
The sapwood of the Western Red Cedar (Thuja plicata) is thin with a light yellow tinge. The heartwood varies in colour from light straw to pinkish red to deep, rich brown. The wood is straight-grained and non-porous. It has a distinctive aroma.
Western red cedar is weather resistant and highly resistant to decay, Western Red Cedar is ideally suited for exterior applications where durability and dimensional stability is required.
This wood is one of the lightest in weight of all the commercially important coniferous species - a softwood of moderate strength but with excellent weather-resistant properties. The heartwood, which contains large amounts of extractives, is highly resistant to decay.
Western Red Cedar dries readily with little shrinkage and exhibits exceptional dimensional stability in service. It has excellent working qualities and machines to a smooth, satiny finish. Completely non-resinous, it has good gluing properties, has low to moderate nail and screw holding ability, and takes paints and stains well.
Trembling Aspen
OSB
Canada's most widely distributed hardwood. The wood is light in colour ranging from a nearly white to greyish-white. It is usually straight-grained with a fine, even texture and a faint growth-ring figuration.
Trembling aspen is used in building products that require strength and lightweight properties.
Light in weight with medium strength properties comparable to Western white spruce. High resistance to wear. Not decay resistant. Seasons satisfactorily with moderate shrinkage. Care is required when machining to produce quality surfaces. Moderately easy to glue and holds nails and screws satisfactorily.
Southern Pine
Lumber & Treated lumber
Southern Pine grows in a vast band across the Southern United States, from East Texas to Virginia. There are four main species: shortleaf, longleaf, loblolly or slash. Lumber from all four is marketed as Southern Pine and graded in accordance with the grading rules of the Southern Pine Inspection Bureau (SPIB), approved by the American Lumber Standard Committee. The inherent characteristics that make Southern Pine a desirable species for so many applications are:
High strength - Design values assigned for Southern Pine are among the highest for all softwoods. Nail holding - The ability of Southern Pine to hold fasteners is among the highest of the softwoods. Drying enhances nail holding and reduces the tendency for "nail pop" associated with drywall construction. Durability - Southern Pine is highly resistant to wear; therefore, it is suitable for flooring, decks, patios, marinas, boardwalks and other high-traffic applications.
Treatability - Southern Pine is also one of the easiest softwoods to pressure-treat with preservatives. As a result, treated Southern Pine is one of the largest segments of the Southern Pine market.