Elm, White
Use
Colour
Durability
Density in kg/m3
The TreeGrows to an average height of 15-25 meters and 3-4 foot in diameter.
The TimberThe heartwood is pale reddish-brown in colour, and the sapwood is paler. The wood is strong and tough, and has good bending properties. The grain is usually straight, but occasionally is interlocked, and the texture is coarse, and inclined to be woolly.
DryingThe timber is said to dry well, with medium shrinkage.
StrengthIts strength generally is superior to that of European common elm, being some 50 per cent stiffer and harder, 30 per cent stronger in compression parallel to the grain, and more than twice as resistant to shock loads.
Working QualitiesMedium - Finishes well if sharp cutting edges are employed, and takes stains and polish satisfactorily, nails and screws well, and is said to glue well.
Latin NameUlmus americana, Ulmus fulva, Ulmus thomasii, Ulmus racemosa
Also known asWhite elm (North America), slippery elm, water elm, swamp elm, soft elm, red elm, slippery-barked elm, rock elm, cork elm, hickory elm, cork-bark elm
Wood TypeHardwood
TreatabilityDifficult
MoistureMedium
TextureCoarse
OriginNorth America
Sourcing timber
The TDUK Wood Species Database provides practical information on wood species currently or recently available in the UK market.
Before importing any species listed, you must carry out due diligence to ensure compliance with environmental, social and legal standards, including CITES – the international agreement protecting endangered species.
When buying from existing stock, always source through a TDUK member, who will have completed the required due diligence, including CITES checks.
If a species is no longer commercially available, TDUK members can advise on legal, sustainable alternatives that match desired characteristics such as colour, appearance or density.
