DOUGLAS FIR CLEAR MG FINISH

Mixed Grain (MG) Clear Douglas Fir lumber is a popular choice for interior exposed finish applications where customers are looking for premium virtually defect free lumber at an attractive price point. Clear MG lumber is generally cut from the outer portion of the log which produces a mix of heartwood and sapwood. The heartwood will age significantly darker than the sapwood. Many customers will whitewash the lumber in order to even out the color variation between the heartwood and sapwood.

It's important to understand the difference between Mixed Grain (MG) and Vertical Grain (VG) lumber when selecting Doug Fir clears for your project. Vertical grain lumber is also cut from the outer portion of the log, just like the MG lumber. However, VG lumber is quarter sawn so the width of the board is essentially cut radially from the center of the log. When there is sap included in the VG boards, it will be isolated to one edge of the board only. With MG Clear lumber, the sap will generally be present across the entire width of the board. This results in a more consistent color appearance within individual boards. Mixed Grain (MG) clears are often considered "paint grade" but they certainly can take a clear finish just as well. Customers also frequently stain their Douglas Fir MG clear projects in order to show the natural beauty of the wood grain while evening out the color and getting the precise final color they desire.

The vast majority of Douglas Fir lumber available on the market today is harvested from second growth forests. These second growth trees are typically between 50 and 100 years old when harvested. And they certainly produce a significant amount of high quality clear lumber. The ring count on second growth Douglas Fir is generally in the 4 to 8 rings per inch range. From higher quality logs, Doug Fir Clears can be produced right alongside lower value structural lumber such as 2&Btr dimension lumber and studs. When cutting old growth Douglas Fir logs, the opening cuts off the saw, also known as jacket boards, are generally fairly thin such as 4/4 or 7/4 rough - and there will usually be a significant amount of sap in these boards.