Common Names

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American elm
Elm
Florida elm
Soft elm
Swamp elm
Water elm
White elm

Common Uses

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Decorative plywood
Decorative veneer
Food containers
Interior trim
Baskets
Figured veneer
Interior construction
Millwork
Moldings
Plywood
Veneer
Wainscotting

Species Distribution

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REGIONS:

North America

COUNTRIES:

Canada

United States

Physical and Environmental Profile

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Environmental Profile

Dead and dying elm trees are reported to be a
common site because of Dutch elm disease
(Ceratocystis ulmi ) and phloem necrosis (Morsus ulmi ),
which is believed to have originated from the Orient and
into the United States through veneer imports from Europe.

Distribution

The growth range of American elm is reported to extend from
southeastern Saskatchewan east to Cape Breton Island,
south to central Florida, and west to central Texas.
It is also widely planted in western United States,
beyond its native eastern range.
The species is reported to grow in mixed hardwood forests,
and prefers moist soils, particularly in valleys and flood plains.

Product Sources

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

The Lake States in the United States are reported to have the best Elm stands,
but the species is also distributed throughout the eastern part of the country.
The timber is reported to be readily available from commercial dealers,
and is priced in the moderate range.

Tree Data

American elm is reported to be very popular as a shade tree.
The most handsome and largest of the six elms that are native to the United States,
the tree is reported to grow to a height of about 100 feet (30 m).
Boles are usually clear of branches to lengths of 30 to 60 feet (9 to 18 m),
with trunk diameters of 24 to 48 inches (60 to 120 cm).

Sapwood Color

The sapwood is described as grayish-white to light brown.

Heartwood Color

The heartwood is described as light brown to brown,
often with a reddish tinge, medium reddish-brown, or pale reddish-brown.

Grain

The grain is generally straight, but is sometimes interlocked.

Texture

Texture is described as coarse, and the wood is rather woolly.

Natural Durability

The heartwood is reported to have very little natural resistance to decay.
The timber is susceptible to attack by wood borers,
and Dutch elm disease is always a problem.

Blunting Effect

Blunting effect on cutting tools is moderate.

Cutting Resistance

Cutting resistance is reported to be rather small if edges are kept sharp.
Sawn surfaces are often reported to be woolly.

Planing

Soft elm is reported to work fairly easily in most woodworking operations.
Surfaces are inclined to be woolly, but they are reported to respond to
sharp and thin cutting edges to produce a clean and smooth finish.

Gluing

The wood has good gluing properties.

Nailing

Nailing qualities are rated as good.

Screwing

Screwing properties are reported to be good.

Polishing

The wood can be polished to a high finish.

Staining

The material takes stain well.

Steam Bending

The wood is reported to have good steam bending properties.

Response to Hand Tools

Response to hand tools is reported to be good,
but cutting edges should be kept sharp.

Strength Properties

Bending strength in the air-dry condition (about 12 percent moisture content) is fairly high.
Crushing strength is low. It is moderately hard.
American elm is reported to be generally inferior to Rock elm in strength properties,
but selected dense grades may compare favorably or approximate to Rock elm in strength.
It is reported to be used as a substitute for Rock elm in certain applications.

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. World Woods in Color. Linden Publishing Co. Inc, Fresno, California.

Jackson, A. and D. Day. 1991.
Good Wood Handbook - The Woodworker's Guide to Identifying,
Selecting and Using the Right Wood. HarperCollins Publishers, London.

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

California Department of Forestry.
Comparative Physical & Mechanical Properties of Western & Eastern Hardwoods.
Prepared by Forest Products Laboratory,
University of California at Berkeley, Berkeley, California. n/d.

Kline, M. 1985. Ulmus americana - American elm.
In A Guide to Useful Woods of the World.
Flynn Jr., J.H., Editor. King Philip Publishing Co.,
Portland, Maine. 1994. Page 355-356.

Kaiser, J. 1989.
Wood of the Month - Elm: An American Favorite Suffers from an Imported Disease.
Wood of the Month Annual, Volume 1, Supplement to Wood and Wood Products.
Pg. 31-32.

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.