The rich amber tones of Douglas fir flooring are a hallmark of historic Pacific Northwest homes. Douglas fir softwood has been commonly used since the 1800s and has remained popular due to its unique appearance and historical value.
Calhoun Hardwood Flooring recently completed a Douglas fir renovation project for client Zack Bauer. Located in northeastern Portland, Bauer wanted an expert in reclaimed wood to preserve the historical value of his 1907 home. Using reclaimed Douglas fir and modern protective finishes, Calhoun installed 425 square feet of Douglas fir flooring that balanced contemporary practicality and historic charm.
Douglas Fir, a Nostalgic Hardwood Floor Upgrade
Bauer’s 1907 home featured antique Douglas fir softwood throughout the first floor. The upstairs, however, was carpeted. Bauer loved the Douglas fir’s warm appearance, lengthy boards, and historical value and wanted to complement the downstairs flooring.
“Douglas fir floors in the Portland metropolitan area are very popular,” Calhoun said. “People love the nostalgia of fir flooring. My customers want to be time travelers and reclaim the flooring and its history. This house was built in 1907. So, I found fir to match the downstairs boards from over 100 years ago.”
Reclaimed Douglas Fir Boards, Supply & Demand
First, Calhoun needed to source 425 square feet of Douglas fir boards for the project. Sourcing the reclaimed materials was relatively easy due to the popularity of Douglas fir and its common usage in regional structures.
“The volume and the stock of Douglas fir is fine. It shouldn’t be difficult for someone to add more Douglas fir to their home. It’s just the time management of finding what is in stock,” Calhoun said. “Supply is there, and demand is there, but sometimes demand outweighs supply.”
The reclaimed Douglas fir came in a myriad of colors from Calhoun’s supplier. Some boards were painted, while others were stained. The reclaimed boards likely came from historical demolitions, or replaced factory flooring, Calhoun said.
“You can see the severity of the mottling in the pictures,” Calhoun said. “They could’ve gotten floorboards from several different houses, or it could have been from a large factory. Sometimes, they paint the boards. There were also a lot of mixed-in boards that patinaed.”
As a wooden floor, the Douglas fir only needed sanding to remove the paint, stain, and other cosmetic imperfections to prepare it for a second life in Bauer’s home.
Contemporary Finishes, For a Safer Environment
The historic preexisting Douglas fir flooring in Bauer’s home featured rich, patinaed hues from years of installation. Matching the new Douglas fir to the antique would be challenging due to the composition of its historical finish.
Contemporary flooring finishes are vastly different from their toxic, historic counterparts. Years ago, softwood and hardwood floorings would be finished with oil stains or polyurethane. These protective layers leeched toxic chemicals for an extended period and featured a large amount of volatile organic compounds (VOCs).
“It would burn your eyes, and people couldn’t move in for a couple of days due to vapors from the finish,” Calhoun said.
After discussing options, Calhoun and Bauer settled on a contemporary protective water-based Swedish finish that would highlight the Douglas fir’s natural tones. Bauer opted to leave the flooring unstained, allowing the Douglas fir to naturally patina with age.
With the boards laid, sanded, and coated the 425 square-foot reclaimed Douglas fir project was complete. A project of this scale averages around $4,500, Calhoun said.
“The client was head over heels with the result,” Calhoun said. “It’s slightly lighter in appearance and color because the floors haven’t aged and patinaed. But, it’ll darken with time.”
To begin a consultation for your own reclaimed softwood flooring project, complete our contact form, or call (971) 227-6707.