Search for

Clicking any heading in the main data area (at right) will scroll the page back to this top position. Use the following links to jump to the associated section in the main data. Blunting Effect Boring Carving Comments Common Names Common Uses Countries of Distribution Cutting Resistance Distribution Overview Drying Defects Ease of Drying Environmental Profile Family Name Gluing Grain Heartwood Color Kiln Drying Rate Kiln Schedules Luster Mortising Moulding Movement in Service Nailing Natural Durability Numerical Data Odor Painting Planing Polishing Product Sources References Regions of Distribution Resistance to Impregnation Resistance to Splitting Response to Hand Tools Sanding Sapwood Color Scientific Name Screwing Staining Steam Bending Strength Properties Substitutes Texture Trade Name Tree Identification Tree Size Turning Varnishing Veneering Qualities Scientific Name Tilia americana Trade Name American basswood Family Name Tiliaceae Common Names American basswood, American lime, American linden, Basswood, Bee tree, Beetree, Beetree linden, Carolina linden, Florida basswood, Florida linden, Limetree, Lin, Linden, Linn, White basswood, Whitewood, Willow Regions of Distribution North America Countries of Distribution  [VIEW MAP] Canada, United States Common Uses Beehives, Boxes and crates, Building materials, Carvings, Casks, Chairs, Chests, Coffins, Concealed parts (Furniture), Cooperages, Decorative plywood, Decorative veneer, Desks, Dining-room furniture, Dowell pins, Dowells, Drawer sides, Drawing boards, Figured veneer, Fine furniture, Floor lamps, Flooring: industrial heavy traffic, Food containers, Furniture , Furniture components, Furniture squares or stock, Furniture, Hatracks, Interior construction, Interior trim, Kitchen cabinets, Living-room suites, Matches, Millwork, Model airplanes, Moldings, Musical instruments, Musical instruments: piano, Office furniture, Packing cases, Paneling, Plywood corestock, Plywood, Pulp/Paper products, Radio - stereo - TV cabinets, Rustic furniture, Shade rollers, Sporting Goods, Stools, Tables , Toys, Trunks, Turnery, Utility furniture, Valises, Vehicle parts, Veneer, Wardrobes Environmental Profile Widespread May be rare in some parts of its range Globally secure Data source is Nature Conservancy Abundant Distribution Overview This North American species is distributed in Manitoba, New Brunswick, Ontario, Quebec, and Saskatchewan in Canada. Its growth range in the United States includes Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Mississippi, North Carolina, North Dakota, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Great Smoky Mountain National Park, Iowa, Illinois, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Vermont, Wisconsin, and West Virginia. The tree prefer moist soils of valleys and uplands and is usually found growing in hardwood forests. Heartwood Color Brown Red Green/grey Pink Purple White to cream Pale brown Brown Yellow to golden-yellow to orange Red Pinkish brown Greenish to greyish The wood is similar to European lime (Tilia vulgaris ) in appearance, grain and texture. Sapwood Color White to yellow Paler than heartwood Pale brown Creamy white The sapwood is described as creamy white or pale brown in color and merges somewhat gradually into the heartwood. The sapwood is sometimes marketed as 'white basswood'. Grain Straight Closed Even Figure Wavy Distinct (figure) Straight Wavy Distinct and fine figure Texture Fine Medium Fine Uniform Luster Slightly lustrous Lustrous Natural Durability Resistant to termites Resistant to marine borers Moderately durable Durable Resistant to powder post beetles Susceptible to insect attack Perishable Non-durable Non durable Resistant to attack from powder post (Lyctid & Bostrychid) beetles Pinworms (ambrosia beetles) are commonly present The wood has little natural resistance to attack by fungi and other wood destroying organisms. Logs are susceptible to attack by the longhorn beetle while the sapwood is prone to attack by the common furniture beetle. Odor No specific taste Faint distinct odor in freshly milled wood, especially when wet Kiln Schedules UK=K US=T13C4S/T11D3S T9-E7 (4/4); T7-E6 (8/4) US T12-E7(4/4);T10-E6 (8/4) US Drying Defects Distortion Checking Collapse Internal Honeycombing Possible Slight warping and checking during air-season Brownish chemical stains may occur in the sapwood of trees from certain areas. The defect may also occur if the wood is dried too slowly Ease of Drying Fairly Easy Moderately Difficult to Difficult Easy Dries easily with little or no degrade Kiln Drying Rate Slow Drying rate is slow Tree Identification Bole/stem form is straight Tree Size Tree height is 30-40 m Tree height is greater than 70 m Trunk diameter is 100-150 cm Tree height is 40-50 m Tree height is 20-30 m Trunk diameter is 150-200 cm Bole length is 0-10 m Trunk diameter is 200-250 cm Product Sources Supplies of American basswood are abundant in Eastern United States at a relatively low price. Substitutes Obeche (Triplochiton scleroxylon) and Pipli (Bucklandia populnea) Comments Basswood is described as clean, attractive in appearance, light in weight, and free from odor, qualities which make it a primary choice for food containers. General finishing qualities are rated as good Blunting Effect High to severe Blunting effect on machining is slight Slight dulling effect on cutting tools Boring The material responds readily to very sharp machine tools to yield clean surfaces in boring operations Carving Basswood is a popular choice among hobbyist for modelling ships, airplanes, and wood sculpturing Cutting Resistance Easy to saw Fairly easy to saw Gluing Easy to glue Good gluing properties Mortising Mortising operations are fairly easy Moderately easy to mortise Moulding Requires care in moulding operations Moulding ease is moderate Movement in Service Stable Small Stable when seasoned Holds shape well after manufacture Nailing Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Pre-Boring Recommended Holds satisfactorily Holds nails well Easy to nail Basswood nails easily but nail-holding qualities are rated as only fair since the wood is soft Planing Fairly Easy to Very Easy Very Good to Excellent Results Fair to Good Results Special attention required Easy to plane Planing operations are rather easy, but the wood is soft and requires sharp tools for best results Resistance to Impregnation Resistant heartwood Permeable sapwood Resistant sapwood Heartwood is permeable Responds well to preservative treatment The wood is responsive to treatment, but its normal uses usually does not require it to be treated. Resistance to Splitting Good Response to Hand Tools Easy to Work Fairly Difficult to Difficult to Work Easy to machine Responds very well to hand tools Sanding Fair sanding qualities Screwing Fairly Easy to Very Easy Very Good to Excellent Results Fair to Good Results Screwing yields good results Satisfactory screwing finish Satisfactory screw-holding characteristics Easy to screw Turning Easy to turn Yields clean surfaces Turns with moderate ease Good results Veneering Qualities Easy to cut Suitable for peeling No drying degrade. Dries flat without splitting Moderately easy to veneer Good gluing qualities Steam Bending Poor Very poor Painting Good results Basswood responds well to enamel. Polishing Good results Satisfactory results Staining Finish is generally good Poor staining properties Finish is generally satisfactory Staining is less than satisfactory because of the soft texture of the wood. Varnishing Good results Strength Properties Density (dry weight) = 23-30 lbs/cu. ft. Modulus of Elasticity (stiffness) = very low Max. crushing strength = low Bending strength (MOR) = low Shrinkage, Tangential = fairly large Shrinkage, Radial = fairly large Density (dry weight) = 31-37 lbs/cu. ft. Work to Maximum Load = very low Toughness-Hammer drop (Impact Strength) = very low Shearing strength (parallel to grain) = very low Modulus of Elasticity (stiffness) = low Max. crushing strength (stiffness) = very low Hardness (side grain) = very soft Dents or scratches easily Density (dry weight) = 15-22 lbs/cu. ft. Compression strength (parallel to grain) = low Bending strength (MOR) = very low Bending strength (MOR) = medium Numerical Data Item Green Dry English Bending Strength 5208 8481 psi Crushing Strength 181 363 psi Density 26 lbs/ft3 Hardness 367 lbs Impact Strength 19 18 inches Maximum Crushing Strength 2121 3851 psi Shearing Strength 945 psi Static Bending 2646 5885 psi Stiffness 1071 1412 1000 psi Work to Maximum Load 5 7 inch-lbs/in3 Specific Gravity 0.32 0.38 Weight 25 22 lbs/ft3 Radial Shrinkage 5 % Tangential Shrinkage 9 % Volumetric Shrinkage 17 % Item Green Dry Metric Bending Strength 366 596 kg/cm2 Crushing Strength 12 25 kg/cm2 Density 416 kg/m3 Hardness 166 kg Impact Strength 48 45 cm Maximum Crushing Strength 149 270 kg/cm2 Shearing Strength 66 kg/cm2 Static Bending 186 413 kg/cm2 Stiffness 75 99 1000 kg/cm2 Work to Maximum Load 0.35 0.49 cm-kg/cm3 Specific Gravity 0.32 0.38 Weight 400 352 kg/m3 Radial Shrinkage 5 % Tangential Shrinkage 9 % References Boone, R.S., C.J. Kozlik, P.J. Bois and E.M. Wengert. 1988. Dry Kiln Schedules for Commercial Woods: Temperate and Tropical. United States Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Forest Products Laboratory, General Technical Report FPL-GTR-57, Madison, Wisconsin. Brown, W.H.,1978,Timbers of the World: - No.7 North America,TRADA California Department of Forestry. (Undated). Comparative Physical & Mechanical Properties of Western & Eastern Hardwoods. Prepared by Forest Products Laboratory, University of California at Berkeley, Berkeley, California. Canadian Forestry Service. 1981. Canadian Woods - Their Properties and Uses. Third Edition. E.J. Mullins and T.S. McKnight, Editors. Published by University of Toronto Press, Toronto, Canada. Farmer, R.H.,1972,Handbook of Hardwoods,HMSO Forests Products Research Laboratory, U.K.,1956,A Handbook of Hardwoods,Forest Products Research Laboratory, Princes Risborough, Department of,Science and Industrial Research, Building Research Establishment HMSO, 1981. Handbook of Hardwoods, 2nd Edition. Revised by R.H. Farmer. Department of the Environment, Building Research Establishment, Princes Risborough Laboratory, Princes Risborough, Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire. Howard, A.L.,1948,A Manual of Timbers of the World.,Macmillan & Co. Ltd. London 3rd ed. I.U.F.R.O.,1973,Veneer Species of the World,Assembled at F.P.L. Madison on behalf of I.U.F.R.O. Working Party on,Slicing and Veneer Cutting Jackson, A. and D. Day. 1991. Good Wood Handbook - The Woodworker's Guide to Identifying, Selecting and Using the Right Wood. Betterway Publications, Cincinnati, Ohio. Kallio, E. and Godman, R.M.,1973,American Woods - American Basswood,USDA, Forest Service American Woods FS-219 Kline, M. 1987. Tilia Americana - American basswood. In A Guide to Useful Woods of the World. Flynn Jr., J.H., Editor. King Philip Publishing Co., Portland, Maine. 1994. Page 350-351. Lincoln, W.A. 1986. World Woods in Color. Linden Publishing Co. Inc., Fresno, California. Little, E.L. 1980. The Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Trees - Eastern Region. Published by Arthur A. Knopf, New York. Mullins, E.J. and McKnight, T.S.,1981,Canadian Woods Their Properties and Uses,University of Toronto Press 3rd Edition Panshin, A.J. and C. deZeeuw. 1980. Textbook of Wood Technology, 4th Edition. McGraw-Hill Series in Forest Resources. McGraw-Hill Book Company, New York. Patterson, D.,1988,Commercial Timbers of the World, 5th Edition,Gower Technical Press Record, S.J., Hess, R.W.,1943,Timbers of the New World,Yale University Press Rendle, B.J. Editor. 1969. World Timbers, Volume Two - North & South America (Including Central America and the West Indies). Published by Ernest Benn Limited, Bouverie House, Fleet Street, London. Rendle, B.J.,1969,World Timbers (3 Vols.,Ernest Benn Ltd. London Stone, H.,1924,The Timbers of Commerce and their Identification,William Rider & Sons Ltd. London Titmuss, F.H.,1965,Commercial Timbers of the World,Technical Press Ltd., London, 3rd edition U.S.D.A. Forest Service,1974,Wood Handbook,U.S.A. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service Handbook,72 USDA. 1987. Wood Handbook - Wood as an Engineering Material, Forest Service, Agriculture Handbook No. 72, Forest Products Laboratory, Madison, Wisconsin. USDA. 1988. Dry Kiln Operators Manual, Preliminary Copy. Forest Service, Forest Products Laboratory, Madison, Wisconsin. Wood, A.D.,1963,Plywoods of the World: Their Development, Manufacture and,Application,Johnston & Bacon Ltd. Edinburgh & London