Ulmus Americana (Soft elm)

Scientific Name
Ulmus americana

Trade Name
Soft elm

Family Name

Common Names
American elm, Elm, Florida elm, Soft elm, Swamp elm, Water elm, White elm

Regions of Distribution
North America

Countries of Distribution  [VIEW MAP]
Canada, United States

Common Uses
Baskets, Boxes and crates, Building materials, Casks, Cooperages, Decorative plywood, Decorative veneer, Farm vehicles, Figured veneer, Food containers, Interior construction, Interior trim, Machinery parts, Millwork, Moldings, Packing cases, Pallets, Plywood, Skids, Trimming, Vehicle parts, Veneer, Wainscotting, Wheels

Environmental Profile

Distribution Overview
The growth range of American elm extends from southeastern Saskatchewan east to Cape Breton Island, south to central Florida, and west to central Texas. It is also widely planted in western United States, beyond its native eastern range. reported to grow in mixed hardwood forests, and prefers moist soils, particularly in valleys and flood plains.

Heartwood Color

Sapwood Color

Grain

Texture

Natural Durability

Susceptible to attack by wood borers, and Dutch elm disease

Odor

Kiln Schedules

Drying Defects

Ease of Drying

Tree Size

Product Sources
The Lake States in the United States are reported to have the best Elm stands, but the species is also distributed throughout the eastern part of the country. The timber is readily available from commercial dealers, and is priced in the moderate range.

Certified Source

Substitutes
Keyaki (Zelkova serrata)

Blunting Effect

Cutting Resistance

Cutting resistance is rather small if edges are kept sharp. Sawn surfaces are often woolly

Gluing

Movement in Service

Nailing

Planing

Reported to respond to sharp and thin cutting edges to produce a clean and smooth finish

Resistance to Impregnation

Response to Hand Tools

Screwing

Steam Bending

The wood has good steam bending properties

Polishing

Staining

Varnishing

Strength Properties

Can be used as a substitute for rock elm

Numerical Data

References
Boone, R.S., C.J. Kozlik, P.J. Bois and E.M. Wengert. 1988. Dry Kiln Schedules for Commercial Woods: Temperate and Tropical. United States Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Forest Products Laboratory, General Technical Report FPL-GTR-57, Madison, Wisconsin.

California Department of Forestry. Comparative Physical & Mechanical Properties of Western & Eastern Hardwoods. Prepared by Forest Products Laboratory, University of California at Berkeley, Berkeley, California. n/d.

Canadian Forestry Service. 1981. Canadian Woods – Their Properties and Uses. Third Edition. E.J. Mullins and T.S. McKnight, Editors. Published by University of Toronto Press, Toronto, Canada.

HMSO, 1981. Handbook of Hardwoods, 2nd Edition. Revised by R.H. Farmer. Department of the Environment, Building Research Establishment, Princes Risborough Laboratory, Princes Risborough, Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire.

Jackson, A. and D. Day. 1991. Good Wood Handbook – The Woodworker’s Guide to Identifying, Selecting and Using the Right Wood. Betterway Publications, Cincinnati, Ohio.

Jackson, A. and D. Day. 1991. Good Wood Handbook – The Woodworker’s Guide to Identifying, Selecting and Using the Right Wood. HarperCollins Publishers, London.

Kaiser, J. 1989. Wood of the Month – Elm: An American Favorite Suffers from an Imported Disease. Wood of the Month Annual, Volume 1, Supplement to Wood and Wood Products. Pg. 31-32.

Kline, M. 1985. Ulmus americana – American elm. In A Guide to Useful Woods of the World. Flynn Jr., J.H., Editor. King Philip Publishing Co., Portland, Maine. 1994. Page 355-356.

Lincoln, W.A. World Woods in Color. Linden Publishing Co. Inc, Fresno, California.

Little, E.L. 1980. The Audobon Society Field Guide to North American Trees – Western Region. Published by Arthur A. Knopf, New York.

Panshin, A.J. and C. deZeeuw. 1980. Textbook of Wood Technology, 4th Edition. McGraw-Hill Series in Forest Resources. McGraw-Hill Book Company, New York.

Rendle, B.J. Editor. 1969. World Timbers, Volume Two – North & South America (Including Central America and the West Indies). Published by Ernest Benn Limited, Bouverie House, Fleet Street, London.

USDA. 1987. Wood Handbook – Wood as an Engineering Material, Forest Service, Agriculture Handbook No. 72, Forest Products Laboratory, Madison, Wisconsin.

USDA. 1988. Dry Kiln Operators Manual, Preliminary Copy. Forest Service, Forest Products Laboratory, Madison, Wisconsin.