Western Hem-Fir

Products Graded for Structural Applications

Structural Products

Hem-Fir is produced in a wide variety of sizes and lengths to meet the structural specifications of the international marketplace. Much of the structural Hem-Fir timber produced and shipped to Japan is for posts (Hashira) and treated for sills (Dodai) in traditional post and beam wood-frame housing. U.S. mills manufacture to the standard 90 mm x 90 mm (3.54") or 105 mm x 105 mm (4.134") sizes, and to standard 3-metre (10 foot) and 4-metre (13 foot) lengths. Smaller Hem-Fir members (45 mm x 45 mm) are used for roof rafters (Taruki). Kiln-dried Hem-Fir boards are often used as laminating stock to be glued onto metric-sized square posts. Metric-sized Hem-Fir timber is also produced for market niches in Europe, Latin America and throughout the Pacific Rim.

Hem-Fir structural products perform well in structural framing applications including residential, light commercial and heavy construction. Its specific combination of strength and stiffness properties makes it an excellent choice for floor systems. S-DRY and KD Hem-Fir are subject to minimal shrinkage and checking and, therefore, perform well in hot dry climates, or in cold low-humidity climates. These seasoned products are ready for immediate assembly with other dry framing products, making them especially well suited for multi-storey wood frame construction. 

Hem-Fir is additionally preferred by many builders because of its: resistance to splitting in nailing and screwing; ability to hold nails and screws securely; ease of sawing without splintering; ability to hold a variety of glues and adhesives; and moderate lightness in weight.

U.S. Dimension Timber: 

Nominal sizes: 2" through 4" thick by 2" through 4" wide 
(Surfaced Dry - 38 through 89 mm thick x 38 through 89 mm wide) 
(Surfaced Green - 40 through 90 mm thick x 40 through 90 mm wide)
Structural Light Framing - for highest-strength engineered systems, trusses, laminated products and multi-storey projects 
Light Framing - for routine framing in walls, plates, sills, cripples, blocking, etc. 

Nominal sizes: 2" through 4" thick x 2" through 14" wide 
(Surfaced Dry - 38 through 89 mm thick x 38 through 337 mm wide) 
(Surfaced Green - 40 through 90 mm thick x 40 through 343 mm wide)
STUD grade: Intended for vertical-use only, ideal for wall framing 

Nominal sizes: 2" to 4" thick by 5" and wider 
(Surfaced Dry - 38 through 89 mm thick x 38 through 337 mm wide) 
(Surfaced Green - 40 through 90 mm thick x 127 mm and wider)
Structural Joists and Plank grades Intended to fit engineering applications such as floor and ceiling joists, roof rafters, headers, beams, trusses and general framing 

Special Dimension Timber: 

Machine Stress-Rated (MSR) Lumber - mechanically assessed for strength and connection capabilities, used for trusses and other engineered applications. Hem-Fir MSR products are available in several stress levels, up to 2400 Fb-2.0E. 

Structural-Glued Lumber – end- or finger-jointed, edge- and face-glued; interchangeable with solid sawn dimension timber of the same grade and size; accepted for use under all U.S. Model Building Codes. 

Structural Decking/Subflooring:

Nominal sizes: 2" through 4" thick x 4" and wider 
(Surfaced “DRY or MC 15” only- 38 through 89 mm thick x 89 mm and wider) 

A roof and flooring product; not intended for outdoor, backyard decks. Available in 38, 64 and 89 mm tongue-and-groove widths with “V” or rounded edges, as well as other standard patterns to meet discriminating architectural requirements. WWPA and WCLIB each provide rules for two grades – Selected Decking and Commercial Decking (WWPA Rules); SELECT DEX and COMMERCIAL DEX (WCLIB Rules). Grades manufactured at 19% (S-DRY or KD) and 15% (MC15 or KD15) moisture content. The Selected Decking/SELECT DEX grades are ideal for exposed ceilings. Commercial grades are used primarily for industrial roof and flooring applications.

Large Sizes

Whilst these products may be specified S-DRY, they are often shipped unseasoned. They may be rough cut or surfaced on four sides (S4S). These “Heavy Timber” sections also are valuable for their excellent fire ratings which are in compliance with U.S. and other countries’ Model Building Codes. Surfaced size is ½" (13 mm) off nominal dimension.

Beams & Stringers - nominal 5" and thicker (125 mm nominal) with a width more than 2" (50 mm nominal) greater than thickness 
Posts & Timbers - nominal 5" x 5" (125 x 125 mm nominal) and larger with a width not more than 2" (50 mm nominal) greater than thickness