Western Hem-Fir

Products Graded for Appearance

Appearance Grades

In products graded for appearance, wood-savvy architects and designers often choose Hem-Fir for trim, fascia, panelling, moulding and millwork, as well as for exposed wood ceilings. Remarkably versatile and useful, it complements many architectural styles and design themes.

Interior designers often like Hem-Fir for two primary reasons: its colour and its natural resistance to darkening with exposure to light. While all wood darkens over time with exposure to sunlight, Hem-Fir often remains true to its original, freshly milled pastel colour.

Finish carpenters, remanufacturers and woodworkers like Hem-Fir for other reasons. The straight grain and fine texture sands to a silky, reflective smoothness with virtually no tendency to split. Hem-Fir yields clean, straight edges and accurate contours with either machine or hand tools, and can be worked easily by either. The wood grips fasteners securely and accepts adhesives without a problem. It readily accepts finishes ranging from clear coatings, transparent lacquer, varnishes, oils, or wax to a full selection of stains and bright or subdued tints or paints.

When acclimatized prior to installation, MC15 or KD15 Hem-Fir products retain their shape and size without shrinking, swelling, cupping, warping, bowing, or twisting. Adding to its aesthetic qualities, Hem-Fir has a coefficient of heat transmission, or K value, of 0.89 BTU per 25 mm of net thickness at 12% moisture content, which puts it among the best species for insulating properties.

Clear and nearly clear timber products are available in Hem-Fir from the long-rotation commercial timberlands of the western region. The highest-grade categories include the Clears (Export R-List Rules), Industrial Clears and Finish (WCLIB Rules), and Selects (WWPA Rules). These may be specified in either vertical or flat grain. If grain pattern is not specified, these grades will be shipped as a combination of vertical and flat grain. These high-appearance western timber products are recommended for interior wall and ceiling panelling, trim and cabinet work with either natural, stain, or enamel finishes that respect their fine appearance. Generally, these products are not grade stamped and they are sometimes wrapped at the mill for protection in shipping and handling.

Most of the knotty fibre in Hem-Fir is generally manufactured into structural products whenever possible. However, some knotty, appearance-grade products are available. Manufactured and shipped, about half-and-half in S-GRN and S-DRY, these products are intended more for general construction applications than fine interior installations. The general-purpose, knotty-appearance grades in Hem-Fir are usually manufactured in the Board (WCLIB Rules), Commons (WWPA Rules) and Merchantable (Export R-List Rules) grades. The higher knotty grades are used primarily in housing and light construction for soffits and fascia, and shelving where sound, tight knots are appealing. The lower, knotty grades are used for general construction purposes and serviceability in sub-floors, roofs, wall sheathing and let-in bracing, or in applications where economy is the basic requirement.

Panelling

The clear and nearly-clear products available in Hem-Fir give a stunning, soft glow to ceiling and wall panelling in traditional and contemporary homes as well as a subtle, sophisticated ambience in family and living rooms, dens, bedrooms and kitchens. Based on U.S. testing procedures, Hem-Fir has a U.S. flame-spread rating of 73, which qualifies it for a Class 2 (or B) rating. Consequently, it is frequently specified for panelling in such commercial buildings as theatres, shopping centres and restaurants. Hem-Fir is a popular choice for panelling among northern Europeans who favour its uniform tone, luster and hardness.

Like all patterned products, solid wood panelling products reflect the grade of the starting appearance-grade material (as described earlier), adhering to similar requirements for permissible characteristics. In most cases, panelling products in Hem-Fir will be run-to-pattern from the exquisitely beautiful, clear and nearly-clear Clears, Industrial Clears, Finish and Select grades. Whereas several grades of knotty panelling products are widely available in the western pines, knotty grades in Hem-Fir are not as commonly remanufactured into panelling products.

Hem-Fir is a species combination of Western hemlock and several of the true firs.
Figure 1	Figure 1: Clears, Industrial Clears, Finish and Selects grade categories are showcased here. Grades shown are C & BTR SELECT and SUPERIOR (WWPA Rules), C & BTR FINISH and C INDUSTRIAL CLEAR (WCLIB Rules), and NO. 3 CLEAR (PLIB Export R-List Rules). Such high-end timber is generally marketed as boards or run-to-pattern for panelling.
Figure 2	Figure 2: The colours revealed by the flat grain range from a pleasing off-white to a very light, reddish brown. Variety of natural characteristics and manufacturing imperfections are permitted in the knotty grades. Shown here: NO. 2 & BTR COMMON (WWPA), NO.1 MERCH (PLIB), or CONSTRUCTION (WCLIB).

Hem-Fir panelling products may be run-to-pattern from the exquisitely beautiful clear and nearly clear grades (Clears, Industrial Clears, Selects, and Finish) or from the higher knotty grades (Select Merchantable and No.1 or No.2 Merchantable). Many types of finishes are appropriate, including enamels.

These cabinets showcase the subtle variations in colour among the Hem-Fir species.

In this room, Hem-Fir is used for the ceiling, panelling, cabinets, mouldings and doors.

Hem-Fir’s soft-toned colour remains light, even after exposure to UV rays. Panelling products in this species combination are both practical and elegant.