Douglas Fir or Larch for Window Frames

[Fitzroy]

Thanks to some very helpful folk on here I have managed to find some sources of wood for my shed windows. However I've also been offered larch as an alternative to douglas fir. The windows are 1800mm x 600mm non opening double glazed.

Larch is oft quoted as the most durable of softwoods and I am going to clad the shed in larch cladding, so it may all tie in nicely, but am I missing something? Can larch be worked effectively to make frames or are there issues that a noob like me is unaware of?

Ta. F.

 

[Beau]

Larch is good for window frames. I built all our house windows and doors from it but there was one catch. Lots of Douglas fir comes from Canada where they seem to very good at kiln drying but the larch I had came from Russia where apparently standards for drying are not so good. I had problems with several batches which needed a fair bit more drying before ready to work and I was not always patient enough and had subsequent problems with shrinkage. Lots of what I got was up around 18-20% moisture content. This was some years ago so supplies may now be better.

 

[Fitzroy]

Thanks Beau. Larch is local Scottish stuff, sawn and dried in Fife by a one man band operation, so I'll find-out about quality when I turn up with the van. I'm a few months out from making the windows so it'll get stacked in my wood room for a bit, and the windows are for the shed so air dried will be closer to what I need than kiln dried.

 

[RobinBHM]

European larch is moderately durable, class 4 if UK grown.

Siberian larch however is more durable, class 2 / 3 and a good material for cladding. it isnt really available in the UK in joinery sections. Some joinery companies, Westbury and Mumford and Wood import laminated siberian larch from Germany.

Douglas fir is class 2 if Canadian grown.

If the larch is close grained it could be a good material for your windows.

 

[Logger]

One thing to think about is that although larch is very good if dried properly, it will blunt your tools very quickly. Not sure why it is so bad but I chat to a few guys who won't use larch if it can be avoided because of this.

My choice would be douglas fir, just made windows and doors with it and worked really well.

Nick

 

[RogerS]

If you've not worked with Douglas Fir before, check it out first as I find that I'm slightly allergic to it as it plays havoc with the back of my throat and the smell is awful. Best burnt, IMO

 

[Beau]

European larch is moderately durable, class 4 if UK grown.

Siberian larch however is more durable, class 2 / 3 and a good material for cladding. it isnt really available in the UK in joinery sections. Some joinery companies, Westbury and Mumford and Wood import laminated siberian larch from Germany.

Douglas fir is class 2 if Canadian grown.

If the larch is close grained it could be a good material for your windows.

Interesting. Our larch was supposedly Siberian but judging by the grown rings on one batch it was a very warm part of Siberia haha. Sure some of it was though as this had very tight growth rings. If you want some I think Capricorn timber still sell Joinery sections, they definitely used to.

Logger. Can't honestly say I noticed it being particularly harsh on the tools but yes it's hard for a softwood.

 

[RobinBHM]

Siberian larch was reputedly used for the pilings in the construction of Venice.