European Lime

European lime wood is straight-grained and useful for a variety of applications that do not require significant strength.

European Lime

Durability:

Although easy to work, lime wood is widely-regarded as non-durable as it is prone to heartwood decay.

Mechanical Properties:

Machines well although it is recommended to use a reduced angle on cutters which should be kept sharp due to the soft nature of the timber. It can be used for solid bends of a moderate radius of curvature.

Seasoning:

European Lime dries well and fairly rapidly with some tendency to distort.

Uses:

  • European Lime, also known as Tilia × europaea, Common Lime or Basswood, is a European temperate hardwood that is popular among craftsmen due to suitability for carving and model making
  • This is because of its high level workability due to its soft texture and light weight.It also turns well and can easily be nailed, glued, stained and polished
  • Other lime timber uses include musical instruments, plywood, cutting boards and furniture and storage pieces which don’t require significant strength, such as coat stands
Get in Touch

Description

A subtle shade of yellow-white in colour European lime wood is straight-grained and useful for a variety of applications that do not require significant strength. Lime timber has a fine, firm and close texture and is a very easily worked wood that does not split. Weight averages 540 kg/m³ (34 lb/ft³)

For more information or to buy lime wood from Whitmore’s Timber, please contact our knowledgeable team.

Additional information

Latin Name

Tilia spp.

Family Name

Malvaceae

Distribution

Throughout central Europe and the UK

Timber you may like

  • European Sycamore

    European Sycamore is a temperate hardwood that is creamy in colour. With sycamore wood there is no colour difference between the sapwood and it’s heartwood. Sycamore timber is white, or yellowish-white when freshly cut, with a natural lustre especially noticeable on quarter-sawn surfaces. Sycamore is generally straight grained but may be curvy or wavy grained, and the texture is fine. The average weight is 630 kg/m³ when dried. It is also one of the hardest and strongest pines in existence making it resistant to wear and decay.

  • Sweet Chestnut

    Sweet Chestnut's sapwood is narrow, distinct from the heartwood which is yellowish-brown in colour, closely resembling oak in appearance, but lacking the silver-grain figure characteristic of that timber, resulting from the finer rays. European Sweet Chestnut is a stable, straight grained and hard-wearing timber species (when the sapwood is excluded).The grain may be straight, but is more commonly spiral, particularly in timber from old trees, while logs are liable to cup and ring-shake. It weighs about 560 kg/m³ when dried. On account of its somewhat acidic character chestnut tends to accelerate the corrosion of metals, particularly when moist. It also contains tannin, as a result of which blue-black discolourations are prone to appear on the wood when it comes into contact with iron or iron compounds.

  • European Oak

    European Oak's heartwood is light tan to biscuit coloured, usually straight-grained, but irregular or cross-grained material can occur depending on growth conditions. Characteristic silver grain figure on quartered surfaces due to broad rays. British and Baltic oaks are tough and hard, weighing 720 kg/m³ (45 lb/ft³), but the Volhynian oak of south east Poland, and even milder oak from Yugoslavia known as Slavonian oak weights 670 kg/m³ (42 lb/ft³); specific gravity from .67 to .72 according to type.

  • Swiss Pear

    Pear's heartwood is pinkish-brown in colour with very fine rays and pores, straight grained and a very fine and even texture. Weight about 700 kg/m³ (44 lb/ft³); specific gravity .70.