Is Western Hemlock A Hardwood

A division of weyerhaeuser northwest hardwoods offers a brand of western hemlock which it says is manufactured to standards designed for hardwood lumber.

Is western hemlock a hardwood.

1 2x4 1 2x6 1x2 1x3 1x4 1x5 1x6 1x8 1x10 1x12. The wood is moderately hard and strong with good strength. Western hemlock is light in colour with a pinkish to reddish brown colour. Numerous patches of hemlock northern hardwood forest are known from the catskill mountains the shawangunk mountains the hudson highlands the rensselaer plateau the adirondack mountains the southern finger lakes region and the river valleys that flow into lake erie in western new york.

Sapwood and heartwood are not distinct. Western hemlock s light color and lack. In crosscutting however expect some tearout. The species is also the state tree of washington.

Western hemlock with its straight grain and finer texture sands to a silky reflective smoothness. Hemlock dries slowly holds its shape and exhibits little tendency to check. Western hemlock also is harder stronger straighter grained and resin free. Considered the transitional forest habitat between lower elevations of appalachian oak pine habitat 400 and higher elevations of northern hardwood habitat 1 500 hemlock hardwood pine forests cover almost 50 of new hampshire most of it south of the white mountains.

Hemlock is a softwood and just like any other softwood it s a less desirable firewood when compared to a popular hardwood like oak or maple but that doesn t mean the firewood is useless especially if it s free and easy to access. Hemlock hardwood pine forest is the most wide spread habitat in new hampshire. When compared to eastern hemlock tsuga canadensis western hemlock generally has narrower growth rings though both species can have tightly spaced growth rings. This species is slightly resistant to decay.

You can work hemlock easily with hand or power tools. The wood grips screws and accepts all glues without a problem.