Red Elm

Red Elm (U. americana pictured)

Common Name(s): Red Elm, Slippery Elm, Soft Elm

Scientific Name: Ulmus rubra

Distribution: Eastern to Midwest United States

Tree Size: 100 ft (30 m) tall, 3 ft (1 m) trunk diameter

Average Dried Weight: 39 lbs/ft³ (625 kg/m³)

Basic Specific Gravity: .48

Hardness: 860 lb_f (3,830 N)

Bending Strength: 13,000 lb_f/in² (89,660 kPa)

Elasticity: 1,490,000 lb_f/in² (10,280 MPa)

Shrinkage: Radial: 4.9%, Tangential: 8.9%, Volumetric: 13.8%, T/R Ratio: 1.8

Color/Appearance: Heartwood is a light to medium brown, sometimes with a hint of red. Sapwood is a pale white or cream color.

Grain/Pore: Has a medium texture and moderate-sized pores. Grain is sometimes straight, but commonly interlocked.

Durability: Rated as moderately durable to non-durable in regard to heartwood decay, but is susceptible to insect attack, and living trees are very commonly destroyed by Dutch elm disease.

Workability: Can be a challenge to work because of interlocked grain, especially on quartersawn surfaces. Planing can cause tearout and/or fuzzy surfaces. Glues, stains, and finishes well.

Smell: There is no characteristic odor associated with this wood species.

Safety: Although severe reactions are quite uncommon, Elm in the Ulmus genus has been reported as a sensitizer. Usually most common reactions simply include eye and skin irritation. See the articles Wood Allergies and Toxicity and Wood Dust Safety for more information.

Price Range: Should be moderately priced, though availability from mature trees has been greatly diminished by Dutch elm disease.

Comments: Ulmus rubra is commonly called Slippery Elm in tree form, but is most often called Red Elm when dealing with the tree in lumber form.

Elm trees are commonly infected with Dutch elm disease, a fungal disease spread by elm bark beetles. D.E.D. has wiped out millions of Elm trees worldwide.

Common uses for elm include: boxes, baskets, furniture, hockey sticks, veneer, wood pulp, and papermaking.

Related Species:

American Elm (Ulmus americana)

Cedar Elm (Ulmus crassifolia)

Dutch Elm (Ulmus x hollandica)

English Elm (Ulmus procera)

Rock Elm (Ulmus thomasii)

Winged Elm (Ulmus alata)

Wych Elm (Ulmus glabra)

Scans/Pictures: There are currently no pictures of this exact wood species, but a similar species within the Ulmus genus is being substituted (U. americana). If you’d like to contribute a wood sample of this specific species to be scanned, (even small pieces of veneer can be sent), please use the contact form.

American Elm (sanded)