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Aspen: (Populus tremuloides)

Aspen

Common Names

Aspen

Quaking Aspen

Trembling Aspen


Physical Profile

Sapwood Color

The wide sapwood is whitish to creamy in color, and merges gradually into the heartwood.

Heartwood Color

The heartwood is whitish creamy to light yellowish brown in color.

Grain

The grain is typically straight.

Texture

Texture is usually fine and even.

Odor

There is a distinctive disagreeable odor when green, but the odor disappears after the material is seasoned. There is no characteristic taste.

Movement in Service

The timber is reported to be dimensionally stable after seasoning, with only small movement in use.

Planing

Material containing tension wood is reported to plane with difficulty, and worked surfaces tend to be fuzzy. Sharp, thin-edged tools are recommended to prevent torn-grain and crumbling of end-grain material.

Turning

The wood has satisfactory turning qualities.

Boring

The material responds fairly well to boring operations, but surfaces of bored holes tend to be rough when tension wood is present.

Mortising

Mortising properties are reported to be fair.

Gluing

Gluing qualities are reported as good.

Sanding

Not Available

Polishing

The wood has satisfactory polishing properties.

Staining

Staining is reported to be generally satisfactory, but woolly surfaces tend to cause uneven staining.

Varnishing

Not Available

Steam Bending

Not Available

Response to Hand Tools

Not Available

Miscellaneous Comments

Strength properties of Quaking or Trembling aspen are reported to be comparable to those of White spruce (Picea glauca ).