Replies

1. 
   Armin_Hammer | Aug 31, 2000 04:15am | #1

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   David, you need to be more specific, saying aspen is like saying car, there are lots of different models.
   We use lots of aspen for paneling, trim,and just plain lumber. It dries nice, no sap bleedout and is harder than pine. Sands nice unless you happen to have the soft fuzzy version of aspen. It is my opinion that most of the aspen grown in the northern states on high ground is pretty good stuff. My suggestion would be to try a log and have it cut and dried. Then mill and sand it if it meets your expectations cut the rest. If you have a pile of fuzzy grained reaction wood that stalls out your saw then grab the hotdogs and beer and have a bonfire.

2. 
   Robert_Macaione | Sep 01, 2000 06:12am | #2

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   David,
   While anything can be milled up into lumber, most species of aspen are too soft to be useful. I know it's used in plywood and particle board, and have heard it's used for toothpicks! Logging outfits in your area will tell you if it's worth it

3. 
   Guest_ | Sep 01, 2000 07:39am | #3

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   The Wood Handbook lists two species of aspen in their tables: Quaking and Bigtooth. Quaking is the softer of the two. Unfortunately, the tables do not give a figure for hardness for Bigtooth but does give compressibility figures for both. It appears that at 12% moisture content, Bigtooth just slightly more resistant to compression than American Basswood while Quaking Aspen is given the same figure as Basswood. The Bigtooth compression is somewhat better than the Cottonwoods, but pretty much below all other hardwoods. The compression figures also appear to be below the listed softwoods except for cedar. Of course there are all sorts of other characteristics such as bending, shear strength, etc., that I can't get focused on at the moment.
   (However, while I think this is correct, it is late and all of the columns of numbers are starting to merge together...)

   Maybe it would be good for carving and you could whittle yourself all sorts of tree gnomes and other decorations for your place...

4. 
   Robert_Macaione | Sep 02, 2000 06:16am | #4

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   LOL! Tree gnomes! Not a bad idea, really

5. 
   Guest_ | Sep 04, 2000 12:51am | #5

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   I don't know why aspen wouldn't be fine for studs and plates, but you should check some engineering data to size any joists. Most OSB and some plywood is made from aspen. Poplar is used for paint grade interior trim. It is also used as an alternative to knotty pine for paneling.

   Steve

1. 
   Guest_ | Sep 04, 2000 08:02am | #6

   *I've worked with aspen. Quite soft, too soft for most trim applications. Good closet cleat material,and maybe something else. Wouldn't hesitate to build a shed or outbuilding from it. Definitely a possible substitute for basswood when carving. joe d

6. 
   GT | Sep 04, 2000 07:01pm | #7

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   David, Alot of "Quakie" aspen is harvested here in Southwest Colo. It is schredded into "excelsior" which is used for pads in evaporative coolers and it is also used for packing/padding. Another product they make with it is matchsticks. I've never seen anyone use it for framing, however, I see it used extensively for T&G paneling and it looks very nice as soffit material.

   GT

7. 
   Guest_ | Sep 04, 2000 07:01pm | #8

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   I am clearing a lot for a new home. This lot is heavily wooded with aspen trees 30+ years old. Would milling these logs for lumber be worth my time and effort? Does anyone have experience in using aspen lumber for any construction projects?
   thanks