But in addition to being an excellent material for wood carving aspen also has many other uses in nature and has been used widely in various industries.
Is aspen wood a hardwood or softwood.
Is aspen a hardwood or softwood.
Aspen is considered a hardwood and syp is a class of softwood species yet syp species have a higher density than aspen.
It does not split easily and takes nails and screws well.
Classifying wood as either a hardwood or softwood comes down to its physical structure and makeup and so it is overly simple to think of hardwoods as being hard and durable compared to soft and workable softwoods.
When properly seasoned this wood rates a 2150 on the janka hardness scale which measures units of force.
By comparison white oak is rated 1360 and eastern white pine is 380.
The supposed superiority of hardwood over softwood isn t so cut and dried either.
To quickly answer that question aspen is classed as a hardwood making it great for carving.
Sapwood is white blending into the light brown heartwood.
So despite being made of softwood syp panels are actually heavier stronger and stiffer than aspen.
Unseasoned dogwood is considerably less hard and dense rating around 1410 on the janka scale.
In terms of texture its grain is fine with diffuse pores.
Aspen is less prone to expansion and contraction during temperature and moisture changes in its environment as well as being less likely to warp cup or crown.
What does this mean.
Aspen is the whitest wood we carry and makes a great substitute for holly.
Aspen is excellent for mouldings toys and caskets.
Although aspen is a hardwood species it is offered by the majority of softwood manufacturers.
Aspen is very easy to work with and cut.
The contrast between sap and heartwood is small.
Working properties aspen does not split when nailed it machines easily with a slightly fuzzy surface and turns bores and sands well.
A hardwood named quipo cavanillesia platanifolia is commonly reported as the softest known wood with an alleged janka hardness of 22 lb f 98 n.
However the wood is omitted from this list for two main reasons.
Aspen wood is stable.
The wood is straight grained and has a fine uniform texture.
This happens to be generally true but there are exceptions such as in the cases of wood from yew trees a softwood that is relatively hard and wood from balsa trees a.
But where aspen is a softer hardwood it is also noted for being extremely stable.
The wood laser engraves and cuts great.
But aspen has its perks too.
And what is it used for.
