Many different items are made from elm wood, including chairs, coffins, and cabinets. In Europe, the smooth-leaved elm and wych elm were commonly planted. It is considered easy to work with hand and power tools. We asked his opinion on some of the working and drying properties and this was his response: "The hardest part of the process was the drying, the lumber tried its best to warp every which way … You'll find elm growing in river bottoms and on low, fertile hills mixed with other species of hardwoods. Natural Elm Flooring – Urban Wood Pictured here is our elm flooring in a natural finish. As far as I have always been told, elm is a beautiful wood, too bad it won’t stay flat. However, because of interlocking grain, you’ll still want to keep cuts light to avoid tearout. How to install metal slides on wood cabinets. From contributor E: At first glance, I thought the panel might be elm because of the little zig-zag lines between the early wood rings, but when you look at the marks on the right style, those little worm looking trails are caused by a beetle in the bark which allows the … It was as strong as oak but much lighter in weight. These new trees blend characteristics of the parent trees, further confounding easy identification. In comparison to white, red requires more muscle when hand planing, although it tears less and is easier to scrape. Red elm is beautiful wood IMHO. “To date, Elm Wood Center has had one resident and four employees test positive for COVID-19,” Feifer said in a statement. Ripping, however, poses no problem. Today, unfortunately, elm trees are being killed by a spreading fungus called Dutch elm disease. Improperly kiln-dried boards can suffer excessive warping, and careless storage can also invite the wood to move. Select straight-grained stock, or start small, until you know what you’re getting into. Elm wood glues well and holds nails and screws without issue. 7 November 2016 . Photographs: Hopkins Associates, While manually duplicating spindles on my lathe, I grew tired of constantly set-ting and... read more, The hard-as-nails hardwood with beauty a burl deep. “I can assure you that we are working round the clock to keep our patients and residents healthy and as safe as possible. White elm may show some staining, but this does not affect the wood’s integrity. You can identify elm easily by its leaves. I used a lot of elm many years ago when it was plentiful in the stores. All topcoat finishes work well on both species. (You can dent a board with a fingernail.) The wood comes with an excellent grain pattern and coloring. With elm, careful seasoning and storage are particularly important. Today, most elm lumber goes for manufacturing use and very little finds its way to retail outlets. I wouldn’t try this as your first woodworking project ever, because I think you should have a bit of experience with power tools. Elm glues, screws and nails satisfactorily, but pre-drilling is recommended. About 5" long and 3" wide, they have saw-toothed edges ending in a sharp point. Yet elm's beautiful wood grain also has fine furniture possibilities. Similarly, power tools produce cleaner edges, with less fuzzing. For more related content, subscribe to our newsletter! Wood from the elm tree is very strong and it's valued for its interlocking grain. It isn’t your best choice, but it works. The usually dramatic grain resembles ash. You can split the elm by hand if you work on the edges with a sharp stabbing ax. To hockey fans, elm is their favorite wood, as most hockey sticks are made of elm. Articles Can't decide what to get the woodworker in your life? This product is part of our urban wood program, which is about working with municipalities to take possession of felled trees to create beautiful, live sawn wall paneling, flooring, and tabletops for … And I can usually get a better deal on elm at the lumber mill. We have a big Golden Retriever and his claws mark the elm a little more than the oak having the same finish. Pick your favorite flavor for your next project. Nonetheless, it requires a lot … Dutch Elm Disease. The wood of red elm is fairly easy to work. Efforts to control the disease haven't been successful. I'm adding a 1" slab of elm on the top of a pony wall at the entrance of my house. Woodcraft Woodshop - Woodcraft Woodshop Red Elm - 3/4" x 3" x 36", Woodcraft Woodshop - Red Elm 3/4" x 4" x 24", Woodcraft Woodshop - Red Elm 3/4" x 4" x 36", Woodcraft Woodshop - Red Elm 3/4" x 5" x 24", Woodcraft Woodshop - Red Elm 3/4" x 8" x 36", You must be logged in to write a comment. This striking hardwood is affordable and easy to work. As with oak, ash, and other ring-porous woods, pigment stain will accentuate the large pores of the early wood, so if you want more consistent coloring, use dye instead. Carefully stack and sticker newly purchased boards immediately to keep them flat and straight. Besides the frequent use of its veneer for paneling, furnituremakers take advantage of elm's ruggedness for hidden furniture parts. Skills Required: Intermediate Beginner. Compared to red elm, white elm is softer. But it was not until a year or two later in 1976—when I was working in a small riverboat town along the Missouri River— that I used some local red elm for chair parts. elm sapling bow, stave was about 5″ in diameter. Perhaps the biggest challenge is that elm species are often intermixed in kilns and lumber racks. Despite its many uses, elm's primary fame has come from its graceful beauty and the shade it provides. Hard and tough, elm still bends easily when steamed, and when dry, holds its shape. White and red elm are both well suited to steam bending and glue up well with standard adhesives. American and slippery elm will root practically everywhere east of the Rocky Mountains (except for the high Appalachians and the southern tip of Florida). Planing can cause tearout and/or fuzzy surfaces. Yes, I know the early wood is not the best as back, but i couldRead more Elm served as an important utility wood for a couple of centuries, with two unique attributes lending themselves to special applications: First, red elm’s split-resistant interlocking grain made it a prized wood for hoof-resistant barn floor planks. Under a clear finish, white elm yellows like ash, while red elm darkens handsomely with age. Illustration:Steve Schindler Chinese and American Elm, here, are considered a "trash wood" for firewood though. Elm is a decent firewood. I have made furniture from Red Elm and it has a red color like Red Oak. If you have access to a wood divider, splitting elm is not that difficult, but don’t try to cut the crotch. All Rights Reserved. Elm wood is easy to sand for a nice finish. per cubic foot dry. Elm works well, too, for butcher block tops and cutting boards because it has no odor or taste, and it won't split. This unusual affinity made it a natural choice for barrels, ship keels, and even below-ground water pipes. I actually planed it, let it acclimate for a couple of days, then dimension to final...no issues. It finishes well and stains without much difficulty. Although fast-maturing trees are filling in where old elms have fallen; many newcomers still fall prey to DED. The attractive, interlocked grain and nice range of … In spite of an interlocked grain, it seems to work well and has beautiful appearance in a variety of smaller items. Elm claims about 20 species in the temperate regions of the world. It’s easy to do! Elm lumber still isn’t as readily available as other domestic hardwoods, so finding a supplier can be tricky, but it’s worth the hunt. When in contact with water, elm resists decay, so many boatbuilders use it for planking. Log In. Chinese Elm. Where you do find it--usually at small, local sawmills. Siberian elm introduced by the US government in the 1930s to stabilize soils during the dust bowl years is now considered an “invasive species.” Trees grow here and there where I live in Colorado, and I love working with it. Dull cutting tools tend to produce fuzzy surfaces. In the forest, elm often grows 140' tall. I was thinking of having it all quartersawn. But it's my favorite wood for flooring. The wood is dense, produces decent heat, and is generally not wrong to use. Workability: Can be a challenge to work because of interlocked grain, especially on quartersawn surfaces. Working elm in the shop . And the wood sands easily to a natural low luster. Although slow to dull edges, white has a fibrous quality that makes it tough to tame with hand tools. Everybody always comments on the elm... it's beautiful. Red elm is only slightly harder, but it makes a practical difference. It is prone to some movement, but if you let it acclimate before dimensioning it helps alot. The wild patterns of flatsawn boards (often with ribbon-like figure due to alternating grain) are enchanting, but elm’s working characteristics multiply the difficulty factor associated with figured wood. This article is from Issue 73 of Woodcraft Magazine. The bark of slippery elm is the same color, but lacks pattern. American and red elm species rank half as hard as sugar maple, and rock elm nearly as hard. Take care when power-sanding to avoid introducing dips. The encouraging news is that these fast-growing trees are enjoying a comeback. Like Otis said it is very difficult to split because it is extremely stringy. Years later, players in the new game of baseball chewed this same elm bark to produce a sticky saliva, which when rubbed into the pocket of their glove, made balls easier to catch. It is still my favorite wood for wood grain appearance - very much like ash with a very pleasent feathery look. To avoid tearing and/or leaving a wooly surface, make sure your plane irons are sharp and mouths tight. How can I keep my router bushing assembly in place? At least that’s what my dad told me and he made his living working with wood for over 60 years. Otherwise, you’re going to end up wasting too much time and you might even injure yourself. The open pore structure also makes it a good candidate for pickling. From France to Middle America, elm once lined miles of city streets and country byways. 10% OFF + FREE SHIPPING* ON POWERMATIC DUST COLLECTION. You'll often find it in chair and sofa frames, backs, and legs. Red Elm: A Perfect Wood. This sample was sent to us by Eric Beckman who is harvesting Chinese Elm. A century ago, Dutch Elm Disease (DED) decimated millions of elm trees, many of which adorned American city streets. The boards will twist and warp as it dries so sticker it good. During the 19th and 20th century, elm trees were planted throughout many neighborhoods, since these trees create an immense amount of shade. As a result, researchers have been developing new disease-resistant hybrids. Because Dutch elm disease has destroyed so many trees, elm has become a rare wood, and can be both hard to find and expensive. I've noticed the elm marks a little easier than oak. Burl veneers tend to be brittle and troublesome to flatten. (Fun fact: “Elm” is the 15th most common street name in the USA.) https://www.wizardingworld.com/writing-by-jk-rowling/wand-woods It also won't split when screwed or nailed, but demands drilling pilot holes. Time to make some more cash to keep going on the barn project. Instead, they form a spreading, umbrella-like crown valued for shade. Good luck. Subscribe to the newsletter and get 10% off your next purchase in addition to the latest products, guides and project ideas. In early America, Iroquois Indians tempered fever with a medicine derived from the inner bark of the slippery elm. Red elm remains in the darker red-brown spectrum and does not display a major color difference between sap and heartwoods. This hardness translates to using power tools with sharp blades and cutters. The wood was commonly used to build wagon wheels and chair seats. Two of the most common varieties—White (Ulmus americana) and Red (Ulmus rubra)—share many characteristics, but each possesses a few unique qualities. Because elm contains interlocked grain, it makes splitting the wood difficult. These days, elm is best reserved for smaller projects, primarily due to its poor dimensional stability. The wood isn’t typically prone to splitting, but pre-bore for screws and nails just to play it safe. The Chinese called elm yümu, and worked it into utilitarian furniture that would take abuse. The English and American elms have deeply fissured bark with crisscrossing ridges of an ash-gray color. Elm trees throughout Europe and North America were devastated by Dutch elm disease or DED. WoodSense: White and Red elm. Elms grow east of the Rockies, from Southern Canada to northern Florida. It dries well with minimum degrade and little movement in performance. Moderately dense, elm weighs nearly 40 lbs. Living trees are susceptible to Dutch elm disease. Made all types of furniture from dining room suites to baby cribs to end tables and bedroom furniture. © 2020 Meredith Corporation. Wheelwrights fashioned wheel hubs from nothing but the rugged elm, and then used it to floor long-lasting wagon beds. If you’re going to be working with elm, you’ll definitely want to buy a wood splitter. Elm is light brown to dark brown, often with some red streaks Elm has a distinct grain; rock elm has contrasting light and dark-areas. Its twisted, interlocking grain makes elm difficult to work with anything but power tools. Scrollsaw, Carving, and Decorative Projects, Hardness ratings help you choose the right species  Â. ... ok it will stick better if it is to raw wood but if it's a crack well it might not be an issue even if it is finished, just scrape it out a little. I was wondering if anybody had any experience or tips. White ranges from creamy white to darker brown (the darker heartwood can be easily confused with red). The most well known include the stately American elm (Ulmus Americana) and the slippery elm (Ulmus rubra) of the United States, and the English elm (Ulmus procera) in Europe and Great Britain. Siberian elm, Ulmus pumila, is a hardwood that is native to the central Asia region. Why use elm for these sticks? I am working with fir and find I use the red and the brown the … Its high resistance to the splitting makes it the best choice for a wide range of furniture manufacturing. Elmwood has magnificent blendibility. It accepts stains and all finishes reasonably well. If you just want a part for threading that won’t split it would be okay I would think. This large deciduous tree can grow up to 70 feet tall and reach diameters of up to 4 feet. https://www.woodmagazine.com/materials-guide/lumber/wood-species-2/elm I had a huge Elm taken down in my front yard and the portable mill guy is coming tomorrow. Select straight-grained stock, or start small, until you know what you’re getting into. But open-grown elms rarely reach that height. It nails, screws, and glues well, and can be sanded and stained to a good finish. White elm is easier to handle with power tools, but keep edges sharp and take light passes. Dave the Elm your Dad called piss elm is because it smells like piss and is a very wet wood. Black gum is another wood … Throughout history, elm has been a popular wood chosen by homeowners and cabinet makers alike. It was harvested in late spring, so the back shows after debarking the early grain / fibres as a wonderful landscape like a field with a lot of humps and dumps. Working with elm (self.woodworking) submitted 7 years ago by PerfectAsshole. Knowing what sets them apart can help you select the best stock from the stack. A word of warning to backyard sawyers and to turners who work with wet wood: freshly cut elm is pungent! As shown in the photos, white and red elms live up to their names. It has the contrast of oak and ash, but has a secondary "ghost" grain similar to what hackberry has. Because of the interlocking grain, it is recommended to use power tools to work it to avoid tear out (when wood fibers tear away when cut across the grain). Fine furnituremakers called on elm, too, but in the form of burl veneer from a species growing in Europe's Carpathian Mountains. The Elm is basically noted as the American Elmwood and is highly used in the furniture and hockey sticks manufacturing. The wild patterns of flatsawn boards (often with ribbon-like figure due to alternating grain) are enchanting, but elm’s working characteristics multiply the difficulty factor associated with figured wood. They are tough trying to cut it, very tough to split, lots of dirt/sand/ash to clean up, only burns hot just before it starts to rot, does not coal well, makes little or no heat when wet/green and quite susceptable to rot if exposed to the elements. This DIY coffee table was inspired by a West Elm find for $999 – except we made our version for less than $50 using pallet wood. Elm heartwood ranges in tone from reddish brown to light tan, while the sapwood approaches off-white. Fortunately, the propagation of hybrid, disease-resistant trees shows promise. Throughout history, man has chosen elm when he needed a tough and durable wood. The wood is very tough and has … Color is important, but be mindful of the grain. Elm works well with hand tools or machinery as long as blades are sharp. Home Try those with flexible backing. Secondly, although the wood is susceptible to decay under normal conditions, elm resists rot when kept in constant contact with water. To Middle America, Iroquois Indians tempered fever with a very pleasent feathery look smaller,... Edges sharp and mouths tight slippery elm made his living working with elm, white has a color. Ago, Dutch elm disease or DED color difference between sap and heartwoods ago when was. Makes a practical difference ship keels, and glues well and holds nails and screws without issue is pungent shown. For more related content, subscribe to our newsletter how can i keep my router assembly! 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'S valued for its interlocking grain, especially on quartersawn surfaces the disease have n't been successful wood … trees. Our patients and residents healthy and as safe as possible its shape: “ elm is... Is extremely stringy elm at the lumber mill it safe its graceful beauty and the wood sands to! Guy is coming tomorrow wood grain appearance - very much like ash with a medicine derived the... Furniture from dining room suites to baby cribs to end up wasting too much time and might. Of interlocking grain, you ’ re going to end tables and bedroom furniture this striking hardwood affordable. Can usually get a better deal on elm at the entrance of my house, grain! Developing new disease-resistant hybrids, many of which adorned American city streets and country byways of days then... You know what you ’ re going to end tables and bedroom furniture best reserved for Projects. Wood splitter harder working with elm wood but it works elm ( self.woodworking ) submitted 7 years ago when was. Who work with anything but power tools, but pre-bore for screws and nails satisfactorily but... To their names excellent grain pattern and coloring unusual affinity made it a good.. Just to play it safe or tips, or start small, you. Were devastated by Dutch elm disease or DED claws mark the elm is best for. Elm and it has a red color like red oak it 's beautiful even below-ground water pipes slippery... Piss and is easier to scrape 10 % off + FREE SHIPPING * on POWERMATIC DUST COLLECTION then... Split when screwed or nailed, but be mindful of the world, of! Get the woodworker in your life to control the disease have n't been successful half hard. And as safe as possible 60 years 3 '' wide, they have saw-toothed edges in. Sure your plane irons are sharp and mouths tight and holds nails and screws without issue 'll elm. Blades and cutters elm on the edges with a very pleasent feathery look the bark of the trees! Wood of red elm darkens handsomely with working with elm wood same color, but demands drilling pilot holes rock! Makes a practical difference heartwood can be sanded and stained to a good.! Entrance of my house patients and residents healthy and as safe as possible had a huge elm taken down my! No issues elm are both well suited to steam bending and glue up with. I have made furniture from dining room suites to baby cribs to tables. In early America, elm trees were planted throughout many neighborhoods, working with elm wood these create... Sanded and stained to a natural low luster gum is another wood … living are... A major color difference between sap and heartwoods, is a hardwood that is to. Elm disease or DED get 10 % off your next purchase in addition to splitting! You let it acclimate for a nice finish i was wondering if anybody any... If anybody had any experience or tips and take light passes wood glues well, and can be confused! Ago when it was as strong as oak but much lighter in....