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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 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 References Regions of Distribution Resistance to Impregnation Resistance to Splitting Response to Hand Tools Routing & Recessing Sanding Sapwood Color Scientific Name Screwing Staining Steam Bending Strength Properties Texture Trade Name Tree Size Turning Varnishing Veneering Qualities Scientific Name Platanus occidentalis Trade Name Sycamore Family Name Platanaceae Common Names American plain, American plane, American planetree, American sycamore, American western plane, Butterwood, Button-ball, Buttonball tree, Buttonwood, Californian button-wood, Lacewood, Plane, Planetree, Plataan, Sycamore Regions of Distribution North America Countries of Distribution  [VIEW MAP] United States Common Uses Baskets, Boards, Boxes and crates, Broom handles, Brush backs & handles, Building materials, Cabinetmaking, Casks, Cigar boxes, Cooperages, Decorative veneer, Dressed boards, Figured veneer, Flooring, Food containers, Fuelwood, Furniture, Handles: general, Interior construction, Joinery, Lumber, Millwork, Packing cases, Pallets, Paneling , Paneling, Particleboard, Plywood, Posts, Pulp/Paper products, Railroad ties, Rough boards/dimension stock, Vehicle parts, Veneer, Veneer: decorative, Wainscotting Environmental Profile Widespread, abundant and globally secure May be rare in parts of its range, especially at the periphery Data source is Nature Conservancy Distribution Overview The growth range of Sycamore in North America reported to include Ontario, Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, Michigan, Missouri, Mississippi, North Carolina, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Vermont, Wisconsin, Great Smoky Mountain National Park, Iowa, Illinois, Nebraska, and West Virginia. The tree prefers wet soils of stream banks, flood plains, and edges of lakes and swamps, and is a dominant species in mixed forests. Heartwood Color Yellow Orange Brown White Red Reddish brown Pale brown Yellow to golden-yellow to orange Dark brown Brown Pale red to pink Light to dark brown or reddish brown Flesh-Brown Sapwood Color Red Yellow White White to yellow Paler than heartwood Whitish to light yellowish, or reddish brown Grain Figure Interlocked Growth rings (figure) Crossed Other (figure) Distinct (figure) Mottled (figure) Spiral Interlocked Clear growth rings (figure) Broad rays produce silver grain on quartersawn surfaces Other figure Spiral Mottled figure Interlocked and irregular Distinct and very fine figure Large crowded, brown rays contrast with white wood tissue in background to add to the beauty of Sycamore. Texture Fine Fine Fine to medium Even textured Luster Low Lustrous Natural Durability Perishable Non-durable Susceptible to insect attack Moderately durable Non-resistant to powder post beetles Non-resistant to termites Non durable Susceptible to attack from powder post (Lyctid & Bostrychid) beetles Should not be used in areas of high decay hazard Poor resistance to decay Odor No specific smell or taste Kiln Schedules T6-D2(4/4); T3-D1 (8/4) US Drying Defects Splitting Checking Distortion Moderate twist/warp Slight twist/warp Slight surface checking Severe twisting/warping May develop honeycomb, ring failure, and water pockets Ease of Drying Fairly Easy Moderately Difficult to Difficult Slowly Rapidly Easy Slight tendency to warp and check during drying Large shrinkage may occur Fairly difficult to dry Kiln Drying Rate Naturally dries quickly Naturally dries at a moderate speed Tree Size Tree height is 30-40 m Trunk diameter is 100-150 cm Tree height is 20-30 m Bole length is 20-30 m Tree height is 40-50 m Tree height is 10-20 m The bark is two or more inches thick in older trees, and its conspicuous white color, spattered with different shades of green and brown gives the tree the name of Ghost tree. The tree often develops a large bole over a swollen base Comments General finishing qualities are rated as good General finishing qualities are rated as satisfactory Blunting Effect Little Slight blunting effect on cutting tools Boring Fairly easy to very easy Fair to good results Good boring qualitites Expected number of bored pieces out of one hundred with good to excellent holes is 98 Cutting Resistance Easy to saw Low resistance to sawing Cutting edges should be kept sharp to prevent torn rays Gluing Fairly Easy to Very Easy Easy to glue Moderate gluing properties Good gluing properties Mortising Fairly Easy to Very Easy Fair to Good Results Very Good to Excellent Results Excellent mortising characteristics Average number of mortised prices out of 100 reported to yield fair to excellent results is 96 Moulding Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Very Good to Excellent Results Responds very poorly to moulding operations Average number of shaped pieces out of 100 reported to produce good to excellent results is 12 Movement in Service Excellent Stability - Small Movement Fair to Good Stability - Medium Movement Stable Nailing Fairly Easy to Very Easy Fair to Good Results Very Good to Excellent Results Holds satisfactorily Thinner stock should be pre-bored Good nailing characteristics Good nail holding properties Average number of nailed pieces out of 100 free from complete splits is 79 Planing Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Very Good to Excellent Results Requires some care in planing because of interlocked grain Ease of planing is moderate Average number of planed pieces out of 100 reported to yield perfect pieces is 22 Resistance to Impregnation Permeable heartwood Permeable sapwood Fairly resistant to impregnation Resistance to Splitting Good Response to Hand Tools Easy to Work Fairly Difficult to Difficult to Work Moderate working qualities Easy to machine Difficult to machine Responds well to hand tools Keep sharp for best results Routing & Recessing Fairly Easy to Very Easy Fair to Good Results Very Good to Excellent Results Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Sanding Poor sanding qualitites Average number of sanded pieces out of 100 reported to produce good to excellent surfaces is 21 Screwing Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Very Good to Excellent Results Percent of screwed pieces free from complete splits is 74 Good screwing properties Turning Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Very Good to Excellent Results Good results Easy to turn Percent of turned pieces expected to produce fair to excellent results is 85 Good turning charcteristics, especially when cutters are kept very sharp Veneering Qualities Suitable for peeling Veneers easily Veneers moderately easy Easy to cut There is slight to moderate drying degrade and the potential for buckles and splits Steam Bending Fair to Good Results Poor steam bending characteristics Moderate Average number of pieces out of 100 reported to steam bend without breaking is 29 Painting Fair to Good Results Very Good to Excellent Results Polishing Fair to Good Results Very Good to Excellent Results Satisfactory results Requires some care for good results Good results Staining Fair to Good Results Very Good to Excellent Results Poor to Very Poor Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Finish is generally satisfactory Satisfactory staining properties Responds well to all types of stains Varnishing Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy