Aspen

GENERAL DESCRIPTION
Sapwood is white, blending into the light brown heartwood. The contrast between sap and heartwood is small. The wood is straight-grained and has a fine, uniform texture.

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.

PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
Aspen 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.

MAIN USES
Furniture parts (drawer sides), doors, moulding, picture frames, millwork, toys, kitchen utensils, and matchsticks. Specialized uses include sauna laths, due to its low conductivity of heat, and chopsticks.