The Softwood Room

Douglas Fir is the wood that shaped my grandfather’s shop — the smell, the grain, the work of his era. Around here, fir belongs to yesterday, but the pieces he built, the boards that survived, and the finishes that still hold his touch prove how much this wood mattered. This is a story about the fir that built a generation, the craft it carried forward, and the way it’s scent can still pull me back to the place where my love of woodworking began.

If you’ve ever wondered why cedar is so light, so aromatic, and so naturally rot‑resistant, the answer goes back 70 million years. This story explores the science behind cedar’s behaviour, its deep‑time evolution, and why it remains one of the most forgiving woods in the shop.

Spruce is the quiet backbone of Canada — the tree behind the drywall, under the shingles, and in the bones of every house from the Prairies to the Shield. Not perfect, not flashy, just holding the country together.

Eastern White Pine isn’t just softwood lumber — it’s a fire‑forged species that rebuilt Canada after glaciers and wildfires. Its scent, its grain, and its history make it one of the most iconic woods in North America.

The cedar we tore off the old decks looked finished — soft, rotten, and ready for the dump. But once the boards dried and the first passes through the planer cut through the weathered surface, the wood showed tight grain, rich colour, and old‑growth strength. This Ramble follows the reclaimed cedar from demolition pile to Muskoka chairs, tracing the milling, the grain, the lessons with Leo, and how fifty‑year‑old lumber found a second life.