Hardwood Floors Oct/Nov 2019

SPECIFIC GRAVITY: • Rock elm: averages .63

• American elm: averages .50 • English elm: averages .55 • Red/slippery elm: averages .53 NAILING: No known issues.

SANDING: A softer species that sands very well. It can be difficult to sand because of the density, which can combine to make sander marks more visible than on some woods. When staining or using natural oils, it normally is required to bring the sanding sequence to a higher grit to minimize visible scratches. When sanding elm that has been installed along with harder, denser species, it is important to sand on a diagonal and/or use multi-head sanders to minimize dishout. Elm stains and finishes very well. ADDITIONAL FACTS: • The elm tree can be grown as a dwarf tree, or can grow to as much as 115’ tall, with trunks of 2’-4’ in diameter. The elm tree normally grows in wetlands, and can be found in climate zones 2-9. • American elms were formerly the predominant landscape tree in the northeastern U.S. • The Washington Elm in Massachusetts is where George Washington took command over the American Continental Army. The Liberty Tree in Massachusetts was a rallying point for the American resistance toward England. • The species is tetraploid (having a double compliment of chromosomes). Sources : Wood Handbook (Wood as an Engineering Material), USDA Forest Products Laboratory; WOOD! Copyright © 2016, Eric Meier; Wood Identification and Use, Copyright © 2006, Terry Porter; American Hardwood Export Council, Guide to American Hardwoods; "Banded elm bark beetle (Scolytus schevyrewi)" by Whitney Cranshaw at Colorado State University (Bugwood.org) licensed under CC BY 3.0 US; Missouri Dept. of Conservation.

the magazine of the national wood flooring association

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