Basswood (Tilia americana)

Characteristics Light Heavy Weight: Soft Hard Hardness: Fine Coarse Texture: Easy Difficult Working: Easy Difficult Finishing: Chart Help

Basswood Characteristics

Basswood is the wood of choice for many wood carvers. This light weight wood works very easily with both hand and power tools. It cuts cleanly, nails, screws, and glues well, though sanding leaves the surface "woolly." Can be painted, stained, and finished without difficulty.

Color Range

Creamy white to very light brown.

Other Names

American basswood, American lime, American linden, Basswood, Beetree, Beetree linden, Carolina linden, Florida basswood, Florida linden, Limetree, Linden, Linn, White basswood

Some Typical Uses

Carving, turning, pattern making, boxes, crates

What's the Tree Like?

A large tree with a long trunk. Matures with a height of 60-100 feet and a trunk diameter of 24-36''.

Basswood grows in

Eastern USA and Canada.