 London Plane (Platanus x hybrida)
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Common Name(s): London Plane, European Plane Scientific Name: Platanus x hybrida (Most commonly a hybrid between American Sycamore (P. occidentalis) and Oriental Plane (P. orientalis) Distribution: Western Europe Tree Size: 65-115 ft (20-35 m) tall, 3-5 ft (1-1.5 m) trunk diameter Average Dried Weight: 38 lbs/ft3 (615 kg/m3) Hardness: 940 lbf (4,180 N) Rupture Strength: 10,830 lbf/in2 (74,710 kPa) Elastic Strength: 1,291,000 lbf/in2 (8,900 MPa) Crushing Strength: 5,910 lbf/in2 (40.8 MPa) Shrinkage: Radial: 6.0%, Tangential: 10.0%, Volumetric: 16.0%, T/R Ratio: ~1.7 |
Color/Appearance: Similar to maple, the wood of London Plane trees is predominantly comprised of the sapwood, with some darker heartwood streaks also found in most boards. (Though it is not too uncommon to also see entire boards of heartwood too.) The sapwood is white to light pinkish tan, while the heartwood is a darker reddish brown. London Plane also has very distinct ray flecks present on quartersawn surfaces—giving it a freckled appearance—and it is sometimes even called “Lacewood,” though it bears little botanical relation to the tropical species of Lacewood.
Grain/Pore: London Plane has a closed pore structure and a fine and even texture that is very similar to maple. The grain is usually straight.
Durability: London Plane is rated as non-durable to perishable regarding decay resistance, and is susceptible to insect attack.
Workability: Overall, London Plane works easily with both hand and machine tools, though tearout can sometimes occur in the rays of perfectly quartersawn sections during planing. London Plane turns, glues, and finishes well.
Scent: There is no characteristic odor associated with this wood species.
Safety: There have been no adverse health effects associated with Sycamore. See the articles Wood Allergies and Toxicity and Wood Dust Safety for more information.
Price/Availability: Usually moderately priced if available domestically, though London Plane is commonly sold as quartersawn boards, which can increase the cost.
Comments: Not to be confused with with European Sycamore—which is actually just a species of maple (Acer pseudoplatanus)—London Plane is a hybrid of American Sycamore (Platanus occidentalis) and Oriental Plane (P. orientalis).
Some common uses for London Plane include: veneer, plywood, interior trim, pallets/crates, flooring, furniture, carvings, and other small specialty wood objects.
Scans/Pictures: A special thanks to Steve Earis for providing the wood sample and turned photo of this wood species.
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London Plane (sanded) |
 London Plane (sealed) |
 London Plane (endgrain) |
 London Plane (burl) |
 London Plane (turned) |
November 29th, 2011 at 10:04 pm
I inhereted around 150 bdft of what I thought was a rough sawn spalted maple. I began planing the wood down and preparing it for my liquor cabinet project. Once I started planing the wood it was obvious that it was not maple. After looking through your database, I discovered that it was spalted london plane. The grain on this woods is absolutly gorgeous. I’m not quite sure what finish I will put on it. If anyone has any suggestions on this it would be appreciated. I was also curious as to its value.
December 3rd, 2011 at 4:58 pm
Mark, are you in the UK? If you’re in the US, then I’d guess it’s probably the nearly-identical Sycamore (Platanus occidentalis) instead of London Plane.
I’d finish it with a water-based polyurethane because it won’t yellow and would preserve the lighter shade of the wood. Just my .02