Common European silver fir (Abies alba)
Family: Pinaceae
Common names: Common European silver fir, Common fir, Common silver fir, European silver fir, European silver pine, Silver fir, Silvergrain, Swiss pine, White deal, Whitewood, Whitewood fir
Distributed in: Estonia, France, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Spain, Switzerland, United Kingdom (Western Europe)
Common uses: Boat building: masts, Boxes and crates, Carvings, Chemical derivatives, Flooring, Food containers, Fuelwood, Joinery, Ladders, Light construction, Mine timbers, Musical instruments, Musical instruments: piano, Plywood, Poles, Posts, Pulp/Paper products
Tree size: Trunk diameter is 200-250 cm
Colors: the heart isYellow, Yellow to golden-yellow to orangeand the sapwoodWhite to yellow, Yellow.The grain isStraight, the textureMediumand the lusterSlightly lustrous
Natural durability: Perishable, Resistant to attack from pinworms (ambrosia beetles)
Kiln Schedules: UK=K US=T13C4S/T11D3S -
Kiln Drying Rate: Naturally dries quickly
Drying Defects: Slight twist/warp, Splitting
Ease of Drying: Rapidly
Tree Identification: Bole/stem form is straight
Comments: General finishing qualities are rated as good
Gluing: Fairly Easy to Very Easy
Nailing: Pre-Boring Recommended, Very Good to Excellent
Planing: Fairly Easy to Very Easy
Resistance to Impregnation: Sapwood is permeable
Response to hand tools: Easy to machine
Screwing: Easy to screw, Fairly Easy to Very Easy;
Painting: Very Good to Excellent; Staining: Very Good to Excellent; Varnishing: Very Good to Excellent;
- Numerical data Metric
- Numerical data English
- Strength properties
- References
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Item |
Green |
Dry |
Metric |
Specific Gravity |
|
|
|
Density |
|
528 |
kg/m3 |
Bending Strength |
429 |
674 |
kg/cm2 |
Crushing Strength |
275 |
449 |
kg/cm2 |
Hardness |
|
144 |
kg |
Impact Strength |
|
55 |
cm |
Shearing Strength |
|
85 |
kg/cm2 |
Stiffness |
71 |
84 |
1000 kg/cm2 |
Tangential Shrinkage |
|
|
% |
Radial Shrinkage |
2 |
|
% |
Weight |
512 |
416 |
kg/m3 |
Maximum Load |
0,35 |
0,49 |
cm-kg/cm3 |
Toughness |
|
192 |
cm-kg |
Static Bending |
|
|
kg/cm2 |
|
 |  |  |  | Item | Green | Dry | English | Bending Strength | 6111 | 9589 | psi | Density | | 33 | lbs/ft3 | Hardness | | 319 | lbs | Impact Strength | | 22 | inches | Maximum Crushing Strength | 3916 | 6397 | psi | Shearing Strength | | 1221 | psi | Stiffness | 1017 | 1199 | 1000 psi | Toughness | | 167 | inch-lbs | Work to Maximum Load | 5 | 7 | inch-lbs/in3 | Weight | 32 | 26 | lbs/ft3 | Radial Shrinkage | 2 | | % | Tangential Shrinkage | 6 | | % | |
Density (dry weight) = 38-45 lbs/cu. ft. Shrinkage, Radial = very small Work to Maximum Load = very low Shrinkage, Tangential = small Modulus of Elasticity (stiffness) = very low Max. crushing strength = medium Hardness (side grain) = very soft Density (dry weight) = 31-37 lbs/cu. ft. Density (dry weight) = 23-30 lbs/cu. ft. Bending strength (MOR) = low Toughness-Hammer drop (Impact Strength) = very low Toughness-Hammer drop (Impact Strength) = low Toughness (total work) = low Shrinkage, Tangential = very small Shrinkage, Tangential = moderate Shearing strength (parallel to grain) = very low Shearing strength (parallel to grain) = low Density (dry weight) = 15-22 lbs/cu. ft.
Brown, W.H.,1978,Timbers of the World, No. 6 Europe,TRADA, Red Booklet SeriesClifford, N.,1957,Timber Identification for the Builder and Architect,Leonard Hill (Books) LTD. LondonDallimore, W. and Jackson, A. Bruce,1966,A Handbook of Coniferae and Ginkgoaceae Fourth Ed. Revised by S.G.,Harrison,Edward Arnold (Publishers) Ltd. LondonFindlay, W.P.K.,1975,Timber: Properties and Uses,Crosby Lockwood Staples London,224PPForest Products Research Laboratory U.K.,1957,A Handbook of Softwoods,Department of Scientific and Industrial Research Forest Products Research,HMSOForest Products Research Laboratory, U.K.,1937,A Handbook of Home-Grown Timbers,HMSOHoward, A.L.,1948,A Manual of Timbers of the World.,Macmillan & Co. Ltd. London 3rd ed.Lavers, G.M.,1983,The Strength Properties of Timber (3rd ed. revised Moore G.L.,Forest Products Research Laboratory, Princes Risborough, Building Research,Establishment Report (formerly Bulletin No.50)Rijsdijk, L.F. and Laming, P.B.,1994,Physical and Related Properties of 145 Timbers, Information for,Practice,TNO Building and Construction Research Centre for Timber Research Kluwer,Academic PublishersT.D.A.,1942,Timber Leaflet No.71 Silver Fir,TRADA Timber LeafletT.R.A.D.A.,1942,Home-grown timber trees - their characteristics, cultivation and Uses,TRADATimber Development Association Ltd.,1955,World Timbers (3 Vols.,Timber Development Association Ltd.Titmuss, F.H.,1965,Commercial Timbers of the World,Technical Press Ltd., London, 3rd edition
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