Is Western Hemlock A Hardwood

The wood is moderately hard and strong with good strength.

Is western hemlock a hardwood.

Western hemlock is light in colour with a pinkish to reddish brown colour. Sapwood and heartwood are not distinct. Western hemlock is the largest of the hemlocks and is one of the most valuable sources of exportable lumber for canada. 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.

In crosscutting however expect some tearout. A division of weyerhaeuser northwest hardwoods offers a brand of western hemlock which it says is manufactured to standards designed for hardwood lumber. 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. 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.

The species is also the state tree of washington. You can work hemlock easily with hand or power tools. Western hemlock with its straight grain and finer texture sands to a silky reflective smoothness. Western hemlock also is harder stronger straighter grained and resin free.

This species is slightly resistant to decay. The wood grips screws and accepts all glues without a problem. It has a straight even grain with a fine texture. Hemlock dries slowly holds its shape and exhibits little tendency to check.

When compared to eastern hemlock tsuga canadensis western hemlock generally has narrower growth rings though both species can have tightly spaced growth rings. 1 2x4 1 2x6 1x2 1x3 1x4 1x5 1x6 1x8 1x10 1x12.