basswood
Basswood is a premier carving and turning hardwood and a preferred species among high-end shutter manufacturers.Basswood is also a top choice for musical instruments, specialty products and millwork. The sapwood of basswood is 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.
Other Common Names: American Basswood, Lime, Linden, Tilia americana
Sourcing Region: Eastern North America
Color, Pattern, Texture: Pale white to light brown color, with sapwood and heartwood sections not clearly defined. Growth rings tend to be subtle, and color is mostly uniform throughout the face grain of the wood. Knots and other defects are uncommon. Grain is straight, with a fine, even texture and moderate natural luster.
Common Uses and Applications: Carvings, lumber, musical instruments (electric guitar bodies), veneer, plywood, and wood pulp and fiber products.
Working Properties: Easy to work, being very soft and light; one of the most suitable wood species for hand carving. Basswood also glues and finishes well, but tends to have poor steam bending and nail holding characteristics.
How to care for it: We offer a wide selection of products to care for your projects, visit our ‘Decking’ section.
Basswood FAS, or Select and Better
Basswood FAS grade derives from an original grade known as "First And Seconds". Basswood FAS will provide the user with long, clear cuttings, and the minimum width and length will vary, depending on species and whether the board is green or kiln dried. Both faces of the board must meet the minimum requirement for FAS.
We grade after drying and surfacing, and against all natural drying or surfacing defects (pin knot no defect).
Applications: Best suited for high quality furniture, interior joinery and solid wood moldings
Grades: FAS or Select & Better
Length and Width: Minimum board size is 6" and wider and 8' and longer. The FAS grade includes a range of boards that yield from 831⁄3% (10⁄12ths) to 100% clear-wood cuttings over the entire surface of the board. The clear cuttings must be a minimum size of 3" wide by 7' long or 4" wide by 5' long. The number of these cuttings permitted depends on the size of the board with most boards permitting one to two.
Basswood #1 Com
Basswood #1 COM is often referred to as the Cabinet grade in the USA because of its adaptability to the standard sizes of kitchen cabinet doors used throughout the United States. The number of these clear cuttings is determined by the size of the board. Both faces of the board must meet the minimum requirement for Number 1 Common.
We grade after drying and surfacing, and against all natural drying or surfacing defects (pin knot no defect).
Applications: Furniture, manufacture of furniture parts.
Grades: #1 Com
Length and Width: The Number 1 Common grades includes boards that are a minimum of 3" wide and 4' long and will yield clear face cuttings from 662/3% (8/12ths) up to, but not including, the minimum requirement for FAS (831/3%). The smallest clear cuttings allowed are 3" by 3' and 4" by 2'.
Basswood #2 Com
Basswood #2 Com is often referred to as the ‘economy grade’ because of its price and suitability for a wide range of furniture parts. It is also the grade of choice for the US hardwood flooring industry. If the poorest face meets the minimum requirements for Number 2 Common, it does not matter what the grade of the better face is.
We grade after drying and surfacing, and against all natural drying or surfacing defects (pin knot no defect).
Applications: Furniture, flooring
Grades: #2 Com
Length and Width: The Number 2 Common grade includes boards that are a minimum of 3" wide and 4' long that yield from 50% (6/12ths) up to, but not including, the minimum requirement for Number 1 Common (662/3%). The smallest clear cutting allowed is 3" by 2' and the number of these cuttings depends on the size of the board.