The wood image of the white fir spreads a friendly and light-flooded flair with its yellowish-white colour and an occasional slightly bluish shimmer. As with the spruce, the image is accentuated by the annual rings, which stand out clearly with their dark late wood.

Trade Names and Other Names

Abbreviation DIN EN 13556: ABAL
Botanical name: Abies alba
German: Weisstanne, Silver Fir
English: Silver Fir, White Fir
French: sapin blanc
Italian: abete bianco
Spanish: abeto blanco
Dutch: zilverspar

Technical Wood Properties

Weight fresh/green: approx. 850–950 kg/m³
Density air-dry (12–15 % MC): approx. 440–490 kg/m³
Natural durability (EN 350): Class 4 – slightly durable

Occurrence

Silver Fir (Abies alba) is native to Central Europe and widely found in the Alps, Jura, and Black Forest. It is a sustainable and regionally sourced softwood, valued for its resin-free, light-colored wood and fine texture.

Trunk and Bark

Up to 55 m tall, 1.2 m in diameter. Gray to silvery-gray bark, smooth or slightly fissured. Heartwood and sapwood indistinct, both pale yellowish to whitish-gray with even grain.

Characteristics and Wood Color

Light, soft, and stable with no resin content. The texture is fine and uniform, with a calm, elegant appearance. It machines easily, polishes well, and creates a natural, bright atmosphere in interior design applications.

Substitute Woods

Norway Spruce (Picea abies), Douglas Fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii), Western Hemlock (Tsuga heterophylla)

Applications

Used for veneers, furniture, interior fittings, wall and ceiling panels, and lightweight structures. Silver Fir combines sustainability, purity, and visual serenity – a hallmark of modern natural architecture.

References

• Wood Atlas | 7th Edition 2022 | Rudi & André Wagenführ
• GD-Holz Data Sheets – Wood Species | 2020
• Properties and Core Sizes of Wood Species | 1989 | Jürgen Sell / Lignum Switzerland