303.733.1292
800-692-WOOD(9663)
303.733.1292
800-692-WOOD(9663)
Botanical Name
Platanus occidentalis
Other Common Names
American Plane, American Sycamore, Buttonball, Buttonball-tree, Buttonwood, Plane, Planetree, Water beech
Region
Eastern United States and extreme southern Canada
The Tree
Sycamore trees reach heights of 120 feet, with a diameter of 3 feet. Largest hardwood tree in the U.S.
Appearance
The insert shows the natural beauty of perfectly quartered sycamore. The rays that cause the “fleck” are not as big as in oak, but they are much more numerous. The rays are much more prominent when they are found in the heartwood or they have turned brown.
Properties
The sapwood of Sycamore is white to light yellow, while the heartwood is light to dark brown. It is classified as moderate in weight, hardness, stiffness, shock resistance, strength in bending, endwise compression and nail holding ability.
Working Properties
It has a close texture, glues well and resists splitting due to interlocked grain. It holds its shape well after steaming and machines well, but requires high speed cutter heads to prevent chipping.
Uses
Furniture (esp. drawer sides), containers, millwork, flooring, veneer, pallets, boxes, plywood, pulp wood, paper, particle board.
Availability
Quartered sycamore is a very beautiful material but very little is produced.