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Chestnut
Several types of horse-chestnut occur in the warmer regions of the northern temperate zone, but they are all of only minor importance as a source of commercial timber. European horsechestnut is widely grown in Europe as an ornamental tree; it often has a short bole, branching low down. American timber, known as buckeye, occurs in the central and Atlantic states, and other timber species occur in India and Japan.Horse-chestnut is a lightweight, fine-textured, creamy-white wood. Though usualIy straight, the grain may be irregular, especially in old or misshapen trees. In character it is very similar to poplar or American cottonwood, but is a little heavier. Horse-chestnut dries well with only moderate shrinkage and, when dry, is stable in use. It works easily, but does not finish well unless tools are kept very sharp. It is rather a weak wood, soft and tending to be brittle. It has a low resistance to fungal attack, but can be readily treated with preservatives. A plain wood of low strength, horsechestnut is used for a number of general purposes, though it is in limited supply and sometimes of poor quality. It is milled to sawn boards and is used for turned items such as brush handles and backs and kitchen utensils, often interchangeably with similar hardwoods. It is suitable for use in the manufacture of lightweight boxes and crates, and, when straight-grained, for engineering patterns. Extract from 'The International book of WOOD' curtesy Michael Beazley Publishers Limited 1979. |
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