American Basswood
Botanical Name
Tilia americana
Other Names
American whitewood, Linden
Origin
Eastern USA
Sapwood Colour
Creamy white merging into heartwood
Heartwood Colour
Pale to light reddish brown sometimes with dark streaks
Grain
Straight and fine
Texture
Uniform
Common Uses
Carving, turning, furniture, mouldings, internal joinery, musical instruments, venetian blinds
Physical Properties at MC 12%
| Density | kg/m3 | 416 |
| Specific gravity | – | 0.37 |
| Hardness | N | 1824 |
| Bending Strength | N/mm2 | 59.6 |
| Stiffness | N/mm2 | 9900 |
| Radial shrinkage | % | 5 |
| Tangential shrinkage | % | 9 |
Working Properties
| Stability | xx | Bending | x |
| Machining | xxx | Screwing | xxx |
| Gluing | xxx | Painting | xxx |
| Sanding | xxx | Staining | xxx |
xxxx = excellent
xxx = good
xx = fair
x = not good