Willow

Other Names: Black Willow, Swamp Willow

Strength and mechanical properties

Where it Grows
Principal commercial areas are the Middle and Southern states, along the Mississippi River. Average tree height is usually no taller than 30 to 40 feet.

Main Uses
Furniture, mouldings and millwork, paneling, doors, sports equipment, kitchen utensils and toys. Good walnut substitute.

Relative Abundance
Together, aspen, basswood, cottonwood, elm, gum, hackberry, sassafras, sycamore and willow represent 12.5 percent of commercially available U.S. hardwoods.

Did You Know?
The chemical predecessor of aspirin originally was isolated from willow bark.

General Description
The sapwood of willow varies in width according to growing conditions and is light creamy brown in color. In contrast, the heartwood is pale reddish brown to greyish brown. The wood has a fine even texture and although generally straight-grained it can sometimes be interlocked, or display figure.

Working Properties
Willow works fairly easily with hand and machine tools but care is needed to avoid a fuzzy surface when interlocked grain is present. The wood nails and screws well, glues excellently, and can be sanded to a very good finish. It dries fairly rapidly with minimal degrade although may be susceptible to moisture pockets. Dimensional stability is good when dry.

Physical Properties
The wood is weak in bending, compression, shock-resistance and stiffness, with a poor steam-bending classification.

Availability
Reasonable availability on a regional basis.