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Liquidambar
styraciflua |
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Family: Hamamelidaceae |
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Sweetgum |
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The genus Liquidambar contains three to four
species that grow in North and Central America [1] and Asia [2]. All species
look alike microscopically. The word liquidambar is from the Spanish
common name in Mexico (indirectly from Latin liquid and amber), in reference to
the fragrant resin.
Liquidambar styraciflua-alligator-tree,
alligatorwood, ambarwood, american mahogany, blisted, delta redgum, figured
gum, gum, gumtree, gumwood, hazel, hazel pine, hazelwood, incense-tree,
liquidambar, mulberry, opossum-tree, plain redgum, quartered redgum, redgum,
sapgum, sapwood hazel pine, satin walnut, satinwood, splint sapgum, splinted
sapgum, starleaf gum, sycamore gum, whitegum.
Distribution
Sweetgum occurs
naturally in the southeastern United States. Its range extends from New Jersey,
Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois,
south to Missouri, Arkansas, Oklahoma and Texas, and east to the Atlantic
coast.
The Tree
Sweetgum trees
grow to heights of 100 ft (30 m), with diameters of 3 ft (1 m).
The Wood
General
The sapwood of
sweetgum is white to light pink, while the heartwood is reddish brown to brown.
The grain is interlocked, producing an attractive grain, but causing problems
in seasoning. The wood is moderately hard, stiff, and heavy.
Mechanical
Properties (2-inch standard)
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Compression |
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Specific gravity |
MOE x106 lbf/in2 |
MOR lbf/in2 |
Parallel lbf/in2 |
Perpendicular lbf/in2 |
WMLa in-lbf/in3 |
Hardness lbf |
Shear lbf/in2 |
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Green |
0.46 |
1.20 |
7,100 |
3,040 |
370 |
10.1 |
600 |
990 |
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Dry |
0.52 |
1.64 |
12,500 |
6,320 |
620 |
11.9 |
850 |
1,600 |
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aWML = Work to maximum load.
References: (59, 98). |
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Drying and
Shrinkage
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Type of shrinkage |
Percentage of
shrinkage |
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0% MC |
6% MC |
20% MC |
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Tangential |
10.2 |
7.9 |
3.3 |
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Radial |
5.3 |
4.2 |
1.7 |
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Volumetric |
15.8 |
12.0 |
5.0 |
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Sweetgum shrinks
considerably in drying and does not stay in place well during use. It has a
tendency to cup or check when exposed to the weather. |
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Kiln Drying
Schedulesa
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Stock |
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Condition |
4/4, 5/4, 6/4 |
8/4 |
10/4 |
12/4 |
16/4 |
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Standard |
T8-C4 |
T5-C3 |
T5-C2 |
T5-B2 |
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1-in. squares |
T12-F6 |
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2-in. squares |
T11-D5 |
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aReferences
(6, 86). |
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Working
Properties: Sweetgum is above average in turning, boring, and steam bending. It
is intermediate in planing, shaping, bending, splitting and holding nails and
screws. It requires pretreatment before gluing.
Durability:
Rated as slightly or nonresistant to heartwood decay.
Preservation:
No information available at this time.
Uses: Lumber
(boxes, crates, dimension stock, furniture parts and fixtures), veneer,
plywood, slack cooperage, railroad ties, fuel and pulpwood.
Toxicity: No
information available at this time.
Additional
Reading and References Cited (in parentheses)
6.?Boone,
R.S.; Kozlik, C.J.; Bois, P.J.; Wengert, E.M. 1988. Dry kiln schedules for
commercial woods-temperate
and tropical. Gen. Tech. Rep. FPL-GTR-57. Madison, WI: U.S.
Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Forest Products Laboratory.
29.?Elias,
T.S. 1980. The complete trees of North America, field guide and natural
history. New York: van Nostrand Reinhold Company.
46.
?Johnson, R.L. 1985. Sweetgum, an American wood. FS-266.
Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service.
55.
?Little, Jr., E.L. 1979. Checklist of United States trees (native and
naturalized). Agric. Handb. 541. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of
Agriculture, Forest Service. U.S. Government Printing Office.
59.
Markwardt, L.J.; Wilson, T.R.C. 1935. Strength and related properties of woods
grown in the United States. Tech. Bull. 479. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of
Agriculture, Forest Service. U.S. Government Printing Office.
68.
Panshin, A.J.; de Zeeuw, C. 1980. Textbook of wood technology, 4th ed. New York:
McGraw—Hill Book Co..
74.
Record, S.J.; Hess R.W. 1943. Timbers of the new world. New Haven, CT: Yale
University Press.
86.
Simpson, W.T. 1991. Dry kiln operator's manual. Ag. Handb. 188. Madison, WI:
U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Forest Products Laboratory.
90.
Summitt, R.; Sliker, A. 1980. CRC handbook of materials science. Boca Raton,
FL: CRC Press, Inc. Vol. 4.
98.
U.S. Department of Agriculture. 1987. Wood handbook: wood as an engineering
material. Agric. Handb. 72. (Rev.) Washington, DC: U.S. Department of
Agriculture.
466 p.