Other name: Linden

The name comes from its inner bark, or bast, used by native Americans to make rope.

Distribution

Principally the Northern and Lake states.

General Description

The sapwood of basswood is usually quite large and creamy white in color, merging into the heartwood which is pale to reddish brown, sometimes with darker streaks.  The wood has a fine uniform texture and indistinct grain that is straight.

Working Properties

Basswood machines well and is easy to work with hand tools, making it a premier carving wood.  It nails, screws, and glues fairly well and can be sanded, and stained, to a good smooth finish.  It dries fairly rapidly with little distortion and degrade.  It has fairly high shrinkage but good dimensional stability when dry.

Physical Properties

The wood is light and soft with generally low strength properties and a poor steam-bending classification.

Availability

Reasonable availability.

Main Uses

Carvings, turnings, furniture, pattern-making, mouldings, millwork and musical instruments.  An important specialized use is Venetian blinds and shutters.

Relative Abundance

Together, aspen, basswood, cottonwood, elm, gum, hackberry, sassafras, sycamore and willow represent 12.5 percent of commercially available U.S. hardwoods.