 Basswood (Tilia americana)
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Common Name(s): Basswood, American Basswood, Lime, Linden Scientific Name: Tilia americana Distribution: Eastern North America Tree Size: 120 ft (37 m) tall, 5 ft (1.5 m) trunk diameter Average Dried Weight: 27 lbs/ft3 (425 kg/m3) Hardness: 410 lbf (1,824 N) Bending Strength: 8,700 lbf/in2 (60,000 kPa) Elasticity: 1,460,000 lbf/in2 (10,070 MPa) Shrinkage: Radial: 6.6%, Tangential: 9.3%, Volumetric: 15.8%, T/R Ratio: 1.4 |
Color/Appearance: Pale white to cream color, with only subtle growth rings. The color is mostly uniform throughout the surface of the wood.
Grain/Pore: Has a fine and even texture, which is preferred for wood carvers.
Durability: Basswood is rated as being non-durable in regard to heartwood decay.
Workability: Easy to work, being very soft and light. Perhaps one of the most suitable wood species for hand carving. Basswood also glues and finishes well.
Smell: There is no characteristic odor associated with this wood species.
Safety: There have been no adverse health effects associated with Basswood. See the articles Wood Allergies and Toxicity and Wood Dust Safety for more information.
Price Range: Basswood is fairly inexpensive. Larger carving blocks might be slightly more expensive per board foot, but on the whole it’s a very affordable lumber species.
Comments: American Basswood is an ideal wood for many woodcarvers. Its soft, fine, even texture make it easy to work with, while its pale inconspicuous color doesn’t distract from the carved patterns of the finished product. It’s also easier to paint and color, since the wood is so light-shaded.
Basswood is both very light and very soft: perhaps among the softest of wood species that is still considered a hardwood, with the exception of Balsa. But although it’s very light, it has an outstanding weight-to-stiffness ratio: though it’s overall strength is on par with its low weight. Simply put, when put under stress, it won’t bend much, but it will still break.
Species in the Tilia genus are usually referred to as either Lime or Linden in Europe, while in the United States it’s most commonly called Basswood. Common uses for Basswood include: carvings, lumber, veneer, plywood, and wood pulp and fiber products.
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Basswood (sanded) |
 Basswood (sealed) |
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