According to the Janka scale, the wood is about as hard as SYP (southern yellow pine), which is an acceptable hardness for most projects. Woods with a higher rating are harder than woods with a lower rating. Types of Wood Comparing American Hardwoods, Softwoods and Tropical Hardwoods. Sycamore (Platanus occidentalis) is a large tree that originated in North America. Sycamore is one of those names used for a variety of species, and this common usage can lead to confusion. The scale used in the table is pounds-force. Known as one of the Bible woods, Sycamore works … Sycamore wood has sapwood that is white to light yellow and heartwood that varies from light to dark brown in color. 11 Kinds of Wood Not to Burn in Your Fireplace 1. Wood products are known for their natural beauty, but when selecting a type of wood for your next cabinetry, flooring, furniture or millwork project, it is important to also consider the level of durability by understanding the difference between wood types. Wood with high contents of oil will take much longer to season. Sycamore typically has a wide sapwood that can be stained easily. Depending on the species of wood, needs to season for about 12 months. The Janka hardness test is the international standard for measuring the resistance of a sample of wood to denting and wear. If not, please let us know by posting a comment. Other factors that determine the drying time is the storage location. Although sycamore is a diffuse-porous wood, because of the difference in porosity between the rays and the surrounding tissue, it's difficult to get a truely smooth surface unless you use a film type finish with a lot of body. Board 1 is wide, perfectly clear, and is all sapwood, while Board 2 contains a light brown heartwood flanked by white sapwood. It also indicates the effort required to either nail or saw the particular wood species. Some wood species are spelled in unique ways, and to the best of our knowledge, all species listed below are spelled correctly. Although few woodworkers become acquainted with the wood of the American sycamore (Platanus occidentalis), that wasn't always so.Back when the United States was still a new nation, and its western frontier was just beyond the Allegheny Mountains, sycamore was the giant of the forest. Wood that makes the best firewood for a fireplace is seasoned wood not green wood. The authors of the Encyclopedia of Wood … Green wood if burned in a fireplace will typically result in a lot of smoke and creosote build up in your chimney. The Janka test measures the amount of force required to embed a 0.444" steel ball into the wood to half of its diameter. Sycamore has an interlocking grain with a fine close texture. Hardwood Lumber – Sycamore FNR-291-W Sycamore is a relative soft wood without distinctive growth rings. The test measures the pressure required to embed an 11.28mm (.444 in) diameter steel ball into wood to half the ball's diameter. Our chart is based on the Janka Hardness Scale which is the industry standard for gauging the ability of various wood species to resist denting and tolerate normal wear. It is important to note that Janka hardness does not take into account wood density nor weight. Sycamore has interlocking grain, and it is generally quartersawn to show a lace-like figure. Sycamore Sycamore trees are one of the oldest species of trees on earth and are known for their longevity and hardiness. It's expressed in psi, or pounds-per-square-inch. The Janka scale is used to determine the relative hardness of particular domestic or exotic wood species. For example, wood stored in humid, damp areas will take longer to season. I haven't worked a lot of … So, choose your storage location very carefully because it will help determine the actual drying time. 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