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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 Common Names Common Uses Countries of Distribution Cutting Resistance Distribution Overview Drying Defects Ease of Drying Environmental Profile 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 Abrasion Resistance to Impregnation Response to Hand Tools Routing & Recessing Sanding Sapwood Color Scientific Name Screwing Staining Steam Bending Strength Properties Texture Toxicity Trade Name Tree Size Turning Varnishing Veneering Qualities Scientific Name Ostrya virginiana Trade Name Ironwood Family Name Common Names Eastern hophornbeam, Ironwood Regions of Distribution North America Countries of Distribution  [VIEW MAP] United States Common Uses Canes, Chairs, Chests, Concealed parts (Furniture), Desks, Dining-room furniture, Dowell pins, Dowells, Drawer sides, Farm vehicles, Fine furniture, Floor lamps, Fuelwood, Furniture , Furniture components, Furniture squares or stock, Handles, Hatracks, Kitchen cabinets, Levers, Living-room suites, Machinery parts, Novelties, Office furniture, Radio - stereo - TV cabinets, Rustic furniture, Shafts/Handles, Skids, Stools, Tables , Tool handles, Utility furniture, Vehicle parts, Wardrobes, Wheels , Woodenware Environmental Profile Status within its natural growth range has not been officially assessed Distribution Overview The natural growth range of the species extends from the Great Plains to the Atlantic Ocean, and from central Florida to Ontario. It is also found in small localized areas down into Mexico. The tree thrives on dry upland soils, and is common in hilly areas. Heartwood Color Brown Red Yellow Orange Pink Green/grey Purple White Whitish Pale yellow Light brown The heartwood sometimes has a red cast Sapwood Color White Yellow Brown Red The wide sapwood is whitish in color Grain Figure Wavy Weak (figure) Growth rings (figure) With distinct light and dark bands Weak figure Occasionally wavy A diffuse porous wood with very fine pores scattered throughout the growth ring. Wavy bands of annual rings are very subtle Texture Coarse Medium Even or uniform Uniform Stright and closed Fine Luster Medium Low Natural Durability Susceptible to insect attack Non-durable Non-resistant to powder post beetles Moderately durable Non-resistant to termites Perishable Non-resistant to marine borers Resistant to termites Resistant to powder post beetles Heartwood has low natural resistance to decay and wood destroying organisms The wood should not be used under conditions that promote decay. Odor Has an odor No specific smell or taste Toxicity Some toxic effects Kiln Schedules US=T6B3/T3B1 Drying Defects Distortion Checking Internal Honeycombing Possible Collapse Splitting Discoloration Slight surface checking Severe twisting/warping Ease of Drying Fairly Easy Moderately Difficult to Difficult Rapidly Slowly Reconditioning Treatement Thick Stock Requires Care Little degrade Air-seasoning is moderately difficult Air drying is slow Kiln Drying Rate Naturally dries quickly Naturally dries at a moderate speed Rapid Drying rate is fairly rapid to fast Tree Size Trunk diameter is 100-150 cm Trunk diameter is 150-200 cm Tree height is 30-40 m Sapwood width is 5-10 cm Trunk diameter is 200-250 cm Bark width is 10-15 mm Bark width is 15-20 mm Tree height is 20-30 m The tree is small, attaining heights that are rarely more than 40 to 50 feet (12 to 15 m) and diameters of 12 to 18 inches (30 to 45 cm). It has some superficial resemblance to American elm Product Sources Although the species is abundant within its growth range, it is seldom available as a commercial timber because of its small size. Blunting Effect Little Moderate Boring Fair to good results Fairly easy to very easy Carving Very Good to Excellent Results Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Cutting Resistance Easy to saw Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult to saw Gluing Fairly Easy to Very Easy Fair to Good Results Mortising Fair to Good Results Very Good to Excellent Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Moulding Fairly Easy to Very Easy Fair to Good Results Movement in Service Excellent Stability - Small Movement Fair to Good Stability - Medium Movement Seasoned wood has rather poor dimensional stability, and tends to move significantly in use Nailing Fairly Easy to Very Easy Fair to Good Results Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Very Good to Excellent Results Pre-Drilled perfectly matched pilot holes are essential for nailing and screwing Planing Fairly Easy to Very Easy Fair to Good Results Poor to Very Poor Results Very Good to Excellent Results Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Hophornbeam or Ironwood is extremely dense and hard, and has been compared to stone in some characteristics. Abundant and fine rays create a fabric-like texture which is reported to make the wood very difficult to cut and plane in any direction. It cannot be worked with ordinary tools, and even slow feeding rates and wide kerf, carbide-tipped power tools are still reported to create thick clouds of blue smoke Resistance to Abrasion Ironwood has wear resistance comparable to that of iron Resistance to Impregnation Resistant heartwood Resistant sapwood Permeable sapwood Response to Hand Tools Easy to Work Responds Readily Fairly Difficult to Difficult to Work Routing & Recessing Fairly Easy to Very Easy Fair to Good Results Sanding Fairly Easy to Very Easy Fair to Good Results Screwing Fairly Easy to Very Easy Turning Fair to Good Results Very Good to Excellent Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Veneering Qualities Suitable for peeling Veneers easily Veneers moderately easy Difficult to veneer Steam Bending Poor to Very Poor Results Unsuitable Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Painting Very Good to Excellent Results Fair to Good Results Polishing Fair to Good Results Very Good to Excellent Results Surface Preparation Fairly Easy to Very Easy Staining Fair to Good Results Very Good to Excellent Results Surface Preparation Varnishing Fair to Good Results Very Good to Excellent Results Surface Preparation Fairly Easy to Very Easy Strength Properties Weight = very heavy Weight = heavy Tough Strong Hardness (side grain) = hard Numerical Data Item Green Dry English Specific Gravity 0.59 0.64 Weight 57 47 lbs/ft3 Radial Shrinkage 8 % Tangential Shrinkage 10 % Volumetric Shrinkage 19 % Item Green Dry Metric Specific Gravity 0.59 0.64 Weight 913 753 kg/m3 Radial Shrinkage 8 % Tangential Shrinkage 10 % References Arno, J. 1988. Ostrya virginiana - Eastern hophornbeam. In A Guide to Useful Woods of the World. Flynn Jr., J.H., Editor. King Philip Publishing Co., Portland, Maine. 1994. Page 256-257. 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. 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. 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.