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Blunting Effect
Boring
Carving
Common Names
Common Uses
Countries of Distribution
Cutting Resistance
Distribution Overview
Drying Defects
Ease of Drying
Environmental Profile
Grain
Heartwood Color
Kiln Drying Rate
Luster
Mortising
Moulding
Natural Durability
Numerical Data
Odor
Planing
References
Regions of Distribution
Resistance to Impregnation
Response to Hand Tools
Routing & Recessing
Sapwood Color
Scientific Name
Texture
Trade Name
Tree Size
Turning

Scientific Name
Ulmus crassifolia

Trade Name
Cedar elm

Family Name

Wood Image 1

Common Names
Basket elm, Cedar elm, Elm, Olmo, Red elm, Rock elm, Southern rock elm

Regions of Distribution
North America

Countries of Distribution  [VIEW MAP]
United States

Common Uses
Baskets, Boxes and crates, Building materials, Casks, Cooperages, Decorative plywood, Decorative veneer, Farm vehicles, Figured veneer, Food containers, Interior construction, Interior trim, Machinery parts, Millwork, Moldings, Packing cases, Pallets, Plywood, Skids, Trimming, Vehicle parts, Veneer, Wainscotting, Wheels

Environmental Profile
Endangered
Extinct
Abundant/Secure
Status has not been officially assessed


Distribution Overview
The growth range of Cedar elm extends from extreme southwestern Tennessee, south to Mississippi, west to southern Texas and extreme northeastern Mexico, and north to southern Oklahoma. It is also reported to occur locally in northern Florida. The tree is often found growing with other hardwoods at elevations of up to 1500 feet (457 m), and prefers moist soils along streams as well as upland limestone hills.

Heartwood Color
Brown
Black
Light brown
Golden brown with a reddish cast
Brown


Sapwood Color
White
Yellow
Brown
Green/Grey
Light brown
Brown


Grain
Even
Interlocked
Straight

Straight
Interlocked


Texture
Fine
Medium


Luster
Low


Natural Durability
Durable
Very durable


Odor
No specific smell or taste


Drying Defects
Checking
Splitting


Ease of Drying
Rapidly
Fairly Easy
Reconditioning Treatement


Kiln Drying Rate
Naturally dries quickly


Tree Size
Tree height is 50-60 m
Tree height is 40-50 m
Sapwood width is 0-5 cm
Trunk diameter is 100-150 cm


Blunting Effect
Moderate


Boring
Fair to good results
Poor to very poor results
Fairly difficult to very difficult
Fairly easy to very easy


Carving
Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult


Cutting Resistance
Moderate to saw
Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult to saw
Easy to saw


Mortising
Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult


Moulding
Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult


Planing
Fair to Good Results
Fairly Easy to Very Easy


Resistance to Impregnation
Resistant heartwood
Resistant sapwood


Response to Hand Tools
Easy to Work
Fairly Difficult to Difficult to Work


Routing & Recessing
Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult


Turning
Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult


Numerical Data
ItemGreenDryEnglish
Specific Gravity0.490.62
Radial Shrinkage5%
Tangential Shrinkage10%
Volumetric Shrinkage15%
ItemGreenDryMetric
Specific Gravity0.490.62
Radial Shrinkage5%
Tangential Shrinkage10%

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

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.

USDA. 1987. Wood Handbook:Wood as an Engineering Material. Agriculture Handbook No. 72. United States Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Madison, Wisconsin.