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Red Elm Common Names Slippery Elm, Gray Elm, Soft Elm, Moose Elm, American Elm, American weeping elm, American White Elm, Gray elm, Rock Elm, Springwood, Swamp Elm, Water Elm, White Elm History The American elm has been seriously affected by Dutch elm disease. The disease has eliminated most of the majestic American elms in the urban setting and continues to kill trees each year. Elm is the state tree of Massachusetts and North Dakota. Did You Know? The red elm has a glue-like substance in its inner bark that formerly was steeped in water as a remedy for throat ailments; powdered for use in poultices, and chewed as a thirst-quencher. Distribution The Eastern to Midwest U.S. Average tree height is 40 to 60 feet. Main Uses Uses include furniture, hardwood dimension, flooring, construction and mining timbers, sheet metal work, wheel hubs, railroad ties, ship-building, fence posts, sills, boxes, crates, pallets, cooperage, decorative plywood and veneer, farm vehicles, food containers, baskets, and interior trim. The wood is also used for the hubs of wagon wheels and hockey sticks, as it is very shock resistant, owing to the wood's interlocking grain. It is also used for making bows, as it is both strong and flexible. 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 Red elm has a grayish white to light brown narrow sapwood, with heartwood that is reddish brown to dark brown in color. The grain can be straight, but is often interlocked. The wood has a coarse texture. The wood has no characteristic odor or taste. The fibrous inner bark is a strong and durable fiber, which can be spun into thread, twine or rope. It can be used for bow strings, ropes, jewelry, clothing, snowshoe bindings, woven mats, and even some musical instruments. Availability Very Limited.
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click the above images to view Wood is a natural product. Some variation in color and grain pattern will occur between samples, images on this website, photographs and any specific installation. Working Properties Red elm is fairly easy to work, it nails, screws and glues well, and can be sanded and stained to a good finish. It dries well with minimum degrade and little movement in performance.
PDF file on strength & mechanical properties
Physical Properties The wood of American elm is moderately heavy, hard, and stiff. It has interlocked grain and is difficult to split, which is an advantage for its use as hockey sticks and where bending is needed.
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