Aspen
Main Uses
Furniture parts (drawer sides), doors, mouldings, picture frames,
millwork, toys, kitchen utensils, food containers, baskets and
matchsticks. Important specialized uses include sauna laths because of
its low conductivity of heat, and chopsticks.
Relative Abundance
Together, aspen, basswood, cottonwood, elm, gum, hackberry, sassafras,
sycamore and willow represent 12.5 percent of commercially available
U.S. hardwoods.
General Description
Sapwood is white, blending into the light brown heartwood. The contrast
between sap and heartwood is small. The wood has a fine uniform texture
and is straight-grained.
Working Properties
Aspen does not split when nailed, it machines easily with a slightly
fuzzy surface, and turns, bores, and sands well. It takes paint and
stain well to produce a good finish although care is required where the
surface is fuzzy. It has low to moderate shrinkage and good dimensional
stability. Aspen is a true poplar, and therefore has similar
characteristics and properties to cottonwood.
Physical Properties
The wood is light and soft, with low bending strength and stiffness, and
medium shock resistance. It has a very low bending classification.
Availability
Limited, and rarely available in thick stock.
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