Basswood

Photo and data from Forest World

Common Names

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American basswood

American lime

American linden

Basswood

Beetree

Beetree linden

Carolina linden

Florida basswood

Florida linden

Limetree

Linden

Linn

White basswood

Common Uses

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Decorative plywood

Decorative veneer

Drawing boards

Furniture

Millwork

Trunks

Valises

Chairs

Chests

Desks

Dining-room furniture

Dowell pins

Dowells

Drawer sides

Figured veneer

Fine furniture

Floor lamps

Hatracks

Interior trim

Kitchen cabinets

Living-room suites

Office furniture

Plywood

Radio, stereo, TV cabinets

Rustic furniture

Stools

Tables

Veneer

Wardrobes

Species Distribution

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REGIONS:

North America

COUNTRIES:

Canada

United States

Physical and Environmental Profile

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Environmental Profile

American basswood is reported to be demonstrably widespread,
abundant, and secure globally, although it may be quite rare in parts of its range,
especially at the periphery
(Source - The Nature Conservancy - Rank of relative endangerment based primarily
on the number of occurrences of the species globally).

Distribution

This North American species is reported to be distributed in Manitoba, New Brunswick,
Ontario, Quebec, and Saskatchewan in Canada.
Its growth range in the United States is reported to include
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 is reported to prefer moist soils of valleys and uplands
and is usually found growing in hardwood forests.

Product Sources

Some material from this species is reported to be available from
sustainably managed or other environmentally responsible sources.  

Supplies of American basswood are reported to be
abundant in Eastern United States at a relatively low price.

Tree Data

The large tree, usually with a long trunk, is reported to mature to a height of about
60 to 100 feet (18 to 30 m), with a trunk diameter of about 24 to 36 inches (60 to 90 cm).

Sapwood Color

The sapwood is described as creamy white or pale brown in color and
merges somewhat gradually into the heartwood.
The sapwood is reported to be sometimes marketed as 'white basswood'.

Heartwood Color

The heartwood ranges in color from creamy-white to pale pinkish-brown.
The wood is reported to be similar to European lime (Tilia vulgaris ) in appearance, grain and texture.

Grain

The grain is typically straight, and fine.

Texture

Texture is typically fine and uniform.

Natural Durability

The wood is reported to have 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.

Blunting Effect

Blunting effect on cutting tools is rated as slight.

Cutting Resistance

The wood is reported to cut and saw without difficulty.

Planing

Planing operations are reported to be rather easy,
but the wood is soft and requires sharp tools for best results.

Turning

The material turns fairly easily, and turned surfaces are generally clean.

Moulding

The wood is reported to require care in moulding operations.

Boring

The material responds readily to very sharp
machine tools to yield clean surfaces in boring operations.

Mortising

Mortising operations are reported to be relatively easy, but it requires some care for good results.

Carving

Basswood is reported to be a popular choice among
hobbyist for modelling ships, airplanes, and wood sculpturing.

Gluing

The wood has good gluing properties.

Nailing

Basswood nails easily but nail-holding qualities are rated as only fair since the wood is soft.

Screwing

The wood is reported to have satisfactory screw-holding characteristics.

Sanding

Sanding properties are reported to be fair.

Polishing

Polishing properties are reported to be generally good.

Staining

Staining is reported to be less than satisfactory because of the soft texture of the wood.

Varnishing

Varnishing qualities are reported to be generally good.

Painting

Basswood is reported to respond well to enamel.

Steam Bending

The material has very poor steam bending properties.

Response to Hand Tools

Response to hand tools is reported to be very good.

Strength Properties

Bending strength in the air-dried condition (about 12% moisture content) is medium,
but lower than Mahogany, and much lower than White oak.
It is weak in compression parallel to grain (maximum crushing strength).
It is not hard and can be dented and marred easily.
Weight and density are moderate.

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.

Reference Sources

Numerical Data Source

USDA. 1987. Wood Handbook - Wood as an Engineering Material,
Forest Service, Agriculture Handbook No. 72, Forest Products Laboratory, Madison, Wisconsin.

Descriptive Data Source

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.

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.

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.

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.

USDA. 1988. Dry Kiln Operators Manual, Preliminary Copy.
Forest Service, Forest Products Laboratory, Madison, Wisconsin.

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.

Lincoln, W.A. 1986. World Woods in Color. Linden Publishing Co. Inc., Fresno, California.

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.

Little, E.L. 1980.
The Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Trees - Eastern Region.
Published by Arthur A. Knopf, New York.

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.

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.