Plywood displays for the Douglas Fir Plywood Association. A man does detailed and intricate cutting with a skill saw. A completed decorative woodwork piece can be seen in the background.

Plywood; Douglas Fir Plywood Association (Tacoma); Saws; Woodworking--Tacoma;

Plywood displays for the Douglas Fir Plywood Association. A man poses with decorative woodwork pieces cut from fir plywood. The wood has been cut in intricate patterns with a skill saw. Dowel rods have then been inserted to hold some of the pieces out from the main piece, giving the design a 3D look.

Plywood; Douglas Fir Plywood Association (Tacoma); Woodworking--Tacoma;

Plywood displays for the Douglas Fir Plywood Association. In this photograph, a piece of 3D woodworking has been backlighted. The result looks almost like neon.

Plywood; Douglas Fir Plywood Association (Tacoma); Woodworking--Tacoma;

Architects in the firm of Jensen & Mills examine a small display of Douglas Fir Plywood Association promotional material in their Jones Building office on November 19, 1954. The plywood association always stressed the stringent quality controls utilized in approving plywood for numerous uses. The DFPA label on plywood meant that customers could count on the association standing behind its product. Photograph ordered by Douglas Fir Plywood Association.

Douglas Fir Plywood Association (Tacoma); Merchandise displays--Tacoma--1950-1960; Advertising--Tacoma--1950-1960; Jensen & Mills (Tacoma);

Pencil behind his ear, a worker ponders the placement of a sheet of plywood on forms already in place. One large sheet is already been nailed on. The man needs to stand on a wooden plank to reach the forms as the building's foundation is already set and the ground excavated. Each plywood sheet is labeled "Plyscord" and stamped in numerous places informing buyers that this genuine fir plywood has undergone stringent testing for quality. Photograph ordered by Douglas Fir Plywood Association.

Plywood; Building construction; Douglas Fir Plywood Association (Tacoma);

A man examines a piece of plywood sheathing marked "Plyscord", as it is being removed from a pickup truck on October 5, 1954. Several sheets remain to be unloaded to join the those already stacked on the ground. Plywood was a versatile product with many uses; first and foremost may have been in construction. Photograph ordered by Douglas Fir Plywood Association.

Plywood; Douglas Fir Plywood Association (Tacoma);

A little girl touches a stuffed animal whose head emerges from a toy storage unit in a September 20, 1954, photograph. A variety of toys are scattered on the floor including a football helmet, glove, drum, dolls and books. These are probably going to be picked up and stored in the two wooden toy boxes. The boxes have wheels and are marked "delivery truck" and "moving van". It would make cleaning up faster and more fun as the toy chests are mobile; the child would be in charge of "driving" to pick up or deliver her toys. The "vehicles" could then be parked under the wooden desk for convenient storage. Photograph ordered by Douglas Fir Plywood Association.

Douglas Fir Plywood Association (Tacoma); Children playing with toys--Tacoma--1950-1960; Toys;

Plywood was a versatile product. It seemed like you could make anything out of plywood, including these charming store window Christmas cutouts. Two little wooden children, mouths wide open, are singing Christmas carols. This particular store was offering free Christmas plans using fir plywood for gifts, decorations and toys. A do-it-yourselfer could use the plans to create similar cutouts and then paint them in whichever colors he desired. Photograph ordered by Douglas Fir Plywood Association.

Douglas Fir Plywood Association (Tacoma); Plywood; Merchandise displays--Tacoma--1950-1960;

A special Plyscord Calculator was prepared by the Douglas Fir Plywood Association to help contractors or homeowners determine correct plywood thickness, nail size, nailing schedule, rafter spacing and FHA minimum property requirements necessary when roofing. Plyscord Roof Sheathing was 100% genuine Douglas Fir plywood. Photograph ordered by Douglas Fir Plywood Association.

Douglas Fir Plywood Association (Tacoma); Calculators;

A young model enjoys an appetizing snack as she lounges on an extended sofa in a September 13, 1954, photograph. The plates of food are placed on a four legged TV table whose ends are tilted upward. The TV table, made out of wood, was built at the right height for someone sitting in front of it or for use as a miniature coffee table. Photograph ordered by Douglas Fir Plywood Association.

Plywood; Tables; Douglas Fir Plywood Association (Tacoma);

Douglas Fir Plywood Association created laboratories to maintain high quality standards of its plywood; plywood was constantly being tested for durability and to detect any flaws. View of sheets of plywood in the D.F.P.A. warehouse undergoing testing. Photograph ordered by Douglas Fir Plywood Association.

Douglas Fir Plywood Association (Tacoma); Plywood; Product inspection--Tacoma; Testing--Tacoma;

An employee of the Douglas Fir Plywood Association appears to be monitoring gauges while doing product testing at the association's laboratory in March, 1954. Douglas Fir plywood was undergoing constant testing for durability and to maintain quality control. Photograph ordered by Douglas Fir Plywood Association.

Douglas Fir Plywood Association (Tacoma); Plywood; Product inspection--Tacoma; Testing--Tacoma; Lumber industry--Tacoma--1950-1960;

Workers are laying plywood in apparent preparation for testing by the Douglas Fir Plywood Association's laboratory in March, 1954. Nearly all sections of plywood have been fastened with only a few sheets left to attach. Plywood was constantly being tested to assure consumers and the industry that all standards were being met.

Plywood; Douglas Fir Plywood Association (Tacoma); Testing--Tacoma; Product inspection--Tacoma;

New DFPA offices in the Fuller Building as pictured on September 18, 1953. This appears to be the mailroom. The Douglas Fir Plywood Association's headquarters in Tacoma was the center of the industry's national promotion of fir plywood. The cost of this promotion was over 2.5 million a year, much of it spent in postage. The DFPA was the highest volume customer of the Tacoma Post Office. TPL-8393

Plywood; Douglas Fir Plywood Association (Tacoma); Lumber industry--Tacoma--1950-1960; Offices--Tacoma--1950-1960; Office workers--Tacoma--1950-1960;

Interiors of new DFPA office in Fuller building. Originally the home of W.P. Fuller & Co., the building was leased by the Douglas Fir Plywood Association in 1953 and remodeled for their headquarters. Plywood, the building material made of sheets of veneer glued together in multi plys, was the favored building material of the construction industry. This was mostly due to the self promotion of the Association, which was supported by member mills. The Association also sponsored research at its lab at 1214 A St. and standardized plywood and graded it for quality. TPL-8397

Plywood; Douglas Fir Plywood Association (Tacoma); Lumber industry--Tacoma--1950-1960; Offices--Tacoma--1950-1960; Office workers--Tacoma--1950-1960;

Interiors of new DFPA office in Fuller building. Originally the home of W.P. Fuller & Co., the Douglas Fir Plywood Association leased and remodeled this office building in 1953. They remained here until the 80's. From this location, the DFPA directed their national program of promotion, research and quality control. Around 1983, the building was remodeled by Bantz Trace Associates and renamed the Commencement Bay building. It houses office space and the Cliff Street Lofts. TPL-8394

Plywood; Douglas Fir Plywood Association (Tacoma); Lumber industry--Tacoma--1950-1960; Offices--Tacoma--1950-1960;

Interiors of new DFPA office in Fuller building. Switchboard operator & a man waiting with a briefcase for an appointment. The Douglas Fir Plywood Association was originated and financially supported by member and subscriber mills. Its purpose was threefold; to aggressively promote plywood as a building material, to fund research on improving and diversifying the product and for quality control of the product. This self regulation sparked the biggest industry growth in the Northwest of all times. TPL-8395

Plywood; Douglas Fir Plywood Association (Tacoma); Lumber industry--Tacoma--1950-1960; Offices--Tacoma--1950-1960;

Interiors of new DFPA office in Fuller building. Office workers at desk and counter, "Mr. Ritchie's" office in the background. The Douglas Fir Plywood Association began in 1938 when the original member mills banded together to promote and standardize their product. Under the able guidance of W.E. ("Diff") Difford, the handful of mills became an industry. By the forties, plywood boomed in housing and became the handiest building material ever devised. The Association later changed its name to the American Plywood Association, as more types of wood came to be used in the production of plywood. TPL-8396

Plywood; Douglas Fir Plywood Association (Tacoma); Lumber industry--Tacoma--1950-1960; Offices--Tacoma--1950-1960; Office workers--Tacoma--1950-1960;

Plywood was used for sheathing and concrete forms during construction at the new Custer School. The school was designed by Lea, Pearson & Richards. The building was dedicated September 30, 1953. Ordered by Douglas Fir Plywood Association.

Douglas Fir Plywood Association (Tacoma); Construction--Tacoma--1950-1960; Reinforced concrete construction--Tacoma--1950-1960; Custer School (Lakewood);

An operator for Douglas Fir Plywood stamps each sheet of plywood in a stack with "EXT-DFPA" denoting the grade and quality of plywood. The Douglas Fir Plywood Association stood behind the designations they developed to assure quality of the products distributed by their members.

Douglas Fir Plywood Association (Tacoma)--Products; Plywood;

Workmen are moving a section of plywood form into position in preparation to pouring a reinforced cement wall. Carstens Packing Company can be seen over the forms in the distance. Ordered by Douglas Fir Plywood Association.

Douglas Fir Plywood Association (Tacoma); Construction--Tacoma--1940-1950; Reinforced concrete construction--Tacoma--1940-1950;

A hanging, mobile sign promoting Douglas Fir Plywood. Ordered by Douglas Fir Plywood Association.

Plywood; Douglas Fir Plywood Association (Tacoma);

One of the final stages in plywood manufacture is setting the glued and layered sheets of wood veneers in a hot press as shown at Anacortes Veneer, Inc., Anacortes, Washington. A sheet of plywood is placed on each layer of the press and the stacks are placed under pressure for differing lengths of time depending on the type of plywood being manufactured. This produces an irreversible bond between the plys stronger than the wood itself. The press is open in this view showing the sheets of plywood. Ordered by Douglas Fir Plywood Association. (The Plywood Age, Robert M. Cour)

Anacortes Veneer, Inc. (Anacortes); Plywood; Douglas Fir Plywood Association (Tacoma);

The Douglas Fir Plywood Association presented a display showing how plywood was used by several industries in the Northwest in the Washington Hall in Portland, Oregon. Washington Hall was part of an earlier exposition in Portland. The hall where the display was housed has been built with columns the look like the trunks of trees. Sky lights in the roof allow plenty of natural light into the interior of the large hall.

Douglas Fir Plywood Association (Portland); Exhibition buildings--Portland; Exhibitions--Portland;

The Douglas Fir Plywood Association presented a display showing how plywood was used by several industries in the Northwest including the boat and ship industry, heavy construction, home building and on farms.

Douglas Fir Plywood Association (Portland); Exhibition buildings--Portland; Exhibitions--Portland;

The Douglas Fir Plywood Association presented a display showing how plywood was made and some of its many uses in the Washington Hall in Portland, Oregon.

Douglas Fir Plywood Association (Portland); Exhibition buildings--Portland; Exhibitions--Portland;

In March of 1952 an unidentified man was photographed tearing off an entry blank for the $20,000 "Room-for-Improvement" contest sponsored by the Douglas Fir Plywood Association. Contestants could win up to $4,000 by filling out an official entry form. Each contestant had to explain what remodeling project he wanted to complete and why plywood would be the best material to use. To win, the entry had to include both a written description of the project and before and after draws. The highest prize of $3,000, with a possible bonus of $1,000, was for the best plan to "Add-a-Room." Every contestant received an official entry form and a folder of home improvement ideas - all using plywood.

Douglas Fir Plywood Association (Tacoma); Contests--Tacoma;

The exterior of the Georgia Pacific Plywood Company building in Olympia, Washington. The two-story building with a flat roof reflects 1950's styling and architecture. A smoke stack with the letters "GP" on it can be seen on the left.

Douglas Fir Plywood Association (Tacoma); Georgia Pacific Plywood Co. (Olympia);

A stark office in the Georgia Pacific Plywood Company building in Olympia provides desks and equipment for fourteen people. Each desk has been provided with a calculator in the middle of the desk with a waste can to catch the tape as it runs from the machine. Telephones are seen on a few of the desks and most of them also have a typewriter on a pull-out shelf on the left. Florescent lighting provides a bright overhead light. Companies were attempting to apply assembly-line techniques to office work.

Douglas Fir Plywood Association (Tacoma); Georgia Pacific Plywood Co. (Olympia); Offices--Olympia;

The main entrance to the Georgia Pacific Plywood Company building in Olympia is shown on a dark afternoon with the interior lit from several angles. The smooth lines of the exterior of the building are carried into the entry way with a flat covering over the exterior walkway and the interior plywood paneling. The square panes of glass in the door match the geometric shapes of the larger windows and create a rythym with the louvers over the door and the steps inside.

Douglas Fir Plywood Association (Tacoma); Georgia Pacific Plywood Co. (Olympia); Office buildings--Olympia;