Ulmus americana of the family Ulmaceae, also commonly called white elm and American white elm
See "elm, misc" for more discussion of the elm species and names (which are a mess) AND to see a sample of the "feathering" that makes elm relatively easy to identify.
my samples: NOTE: these pics were all taken in very bright incandescent lighting ("soft white" at 2700K) colors will vary under other lighting conditions
both sides of a sample plank of American elm / Ulmus americana --- HUGE enlargements are present. This sample was loaned to me by David Clark whom I thank for this and other contributions to the site.
end grain and end grain closeup of the piece directly above
both sides of a sample plank of American elm / Ulmus americana --- HUGE enlargements are present. This sample was loaned to me by David Clark whom I thank for this and other contributions to the site. Somehow I got the color correction wrong and the labeled side is shown as a different color than the back side, which is not correct. The back side shows the correct color for both sides.
end grain and end grain closeup of the piece directly above
sample plank and end grain sold to me as American elm / Ulmus Americana --- This sample plank, although not advertised as such, is clearly of a crotch area and thus is not representative of how the lumber looks. This lack of representativeness is common in the samples I bought from the IWCS.
end grain closeup and END GRAIN UPDATE of the piece directly above
first face and the end grain of a sample of American elm / Ulmus americana. This part of a collection which is discussed here: COLLECTION A
the second face, before and after sanding, showing how the patina from aging is only surface deep.
both sides of a sample plank of American elm / Ulmus americana --- HUGE enlargements are present. This sample was contributed to the site by Allan Tomaszek. Thanks Allan. The first face is freshly sanded, the second face not, and that explains the slight difference in color between the two.
end grain and end grain closeup of the piece directly above
one side of an American white elm plank and a closeup
the other side of the plank directly above, and a closeup
American white elm plank and end grain --- this was cut from the larger plank above
end grain closeup and END GRAIN UPDATE of the plank directly above
both sides of a sample plank of American white elm / Ulmus americana --- HUGE enlargements are present. This sample was loaned to me by David Clark whom I thank for this and other contributions to the site. This sample vendor, who is very unreliable in designating figure types, has this as "bird's eye" figure, apparently because of the bark inclusions. I do not agree that this could be legitimately called bird's eye. Also, this is a segmented sample, but it is very well done, edge-grain butt-joined and not immediately apparent in the face grain.
end grain and end grain closeup of the piece directly above
both sides of a sample plank of burl elm / Ulmus cf americana --- HUGE enlargements are present. This sample was loaned to me by David Clark whom I thank for this and other contributions to the site.
end grain and end grain closeup of the piece directly above
A large American elm crotch and two closeups. When I saw this slab, I was quite confident that it was Pacific Yew and I was surprised to see the label saying it was American elm. The strong difference in color (pinkish towards the bottom and orangeish towards the top) is purely an effect of lighting differences. The bottom is being lit by natural light through a window and the top is lit by incandescent bulbs from the ceiling. My camera was set for incandescent, so the color on the top is correct and the pink on the lower part is wrong. HUGE enlargements are present and the first enlargement of the slab itself will make it clear why I thought it was yew but the "feathering" shown in the extreme closeup (the 3rd pic) makes it clear that it is elm, not yew.
NOT a raw wood color These shots, a distance pic and a closeup, are from two different finished slab end tables of American elm. I don't think the finish changed the color shade much but it obviously did enrich it.
flat cut, quartersawn, end grain
American elm (Ulmus Americana, also listed as white elm and water elm)
web pics:
American elm, flat cut
American elm, quartersawn
a very well-photographed, 3" long, quartersawn piece of American elm / Ulmus americana with both levels of enlargement, the 2nd of which shows the face grain very nicely, including ray flakes
quartersawn plank listed as American elm / Ulmus Americana
white elm planks --- the planks in the 2nd pic have been moistened for the pic
plank listed as white elm / Ulmus americana
American elm crotch, cut by Jeff M who contributed these pics
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a whole slew of pics, also posted by Jeff M, of a large American elm tree that he is sawing up - - - - - - - - - -
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bowl blank and turning stock listed as American elm --- note that the turning stock is identical to one listed by the same vendor as "red elm", which makes me dubious about this vendor's care in naming woods
veneer listed as American elm
American elm hat by Dennis Ford. I don't normally solicit pics for this site but I found Dennis's work to be so striking that I asked, and he generously contributed this and several other pics of his hats, using various American domestic woods including Siberian elm, American elm, sweet gum, ash, and pecan. The finish on this one is lacquer and I find the selection of a piece with this particular combination of heartwood/sapwood to be marvellously appropriate for a wooden hat. My thanks to Dennis for the pics.
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