Gray Elm

[Gregor1]

I bought some lumber from a local farmer who kiln dries his own wood. He called it gray elm. Is gray elm, or elm in general, good for outdoor projects? I have tried googling this question, and some say yes, while others say no. Your opinion please?

Thanks   Greg

[K. L. McReynolds]

What is GREY elm wood?





Is elm a good wood for woodworking?



[/url]
[url=https://www.google.com/search?sxsrf=APq-WBvngX5L1XwS6vay0FV31uoEBBJFSA:1650913692340&q=Is+elm+a+good+wood+for+woodworking?&tbm=isch&source=iu&ictx=1&vet=1&fir=1_t2ID0V6_92MM%252Czw_c8GCP5W2XHM%252C_&usg=AI4_-kTVvOQ5mSTWjWM5nhHtaXQ4znmAoQ&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjU777h9K_3AhUCHTQIHatcC10Q9QF6BAgSEAE#imgrc=1_t2ID0V6_92MM]
While elm is tough and hard, it also steam bends easily and then holds its shape well, making it great for supportive furniture parts like frames, backs, seats and legs that need to be structurally strong. Elm wood glues well and holds nails and screws without issue. It finishes well and stains without much difficulty.Feb 9, 2022

[Gregor1]

I don't know. Never heard of it before. He told me this was called gray elm, to distinguish it from honey elm. That's all I know.

[jteneyck]

I bought some lumber from a local farmer who kiln dries his own wood. He called it gray elm. Is gray elm, or elm in general, good for outdoor projects? I have tried googling this question, and some say yes, while others say no. Your opinion please?

Thanks   Greg

I've never heard of gray elm.  Elm is rated as poor for rot resistance, but elm was THE wood of choice for wagon wheel hubs because its interlocking grain makes it very difficult to split, so it must be fairly rot resistant at least in larger cross sections.  

John

[MichaelMouse]

I've never heard of gray elm.  Elm is rated as poor for rot resistance, but elm was THE wood of choice for wagon wheel hubs because its interlocking grain makes it very difficult to split, so it must be fairly rot resistant at least in larger cross sections.  

John

Common names are often valid only in a very confined area.    

Rot resistance in elms with which I am familiar is poor, but the hub is one part of the wheel which sheds water due to gravity and centrifugal forces, so I would not use it as an example.  PITA to split, most elms.  doesn't coal well in the furnace, either.  Thready grain and all.

[EdL]

American Elm is very hard to work with.
It moves around more than a hooker in church.
I'll re-size 3 times and take a week to get a finish dimension piece.
For the most part, it doesn't grow on trees anymore.

Never heard of "grey elm"

Ed

[Gregor1]

My wife bought a Blackstone Tailgater grill. It will be used mainly on our deck. I want to make a cart with casters, so it can be wheeled around. I am going to go ahead and use the elm. I guess if it only lasts a couple of years, I will be making it again. Besides, I just bought a doweling jig, and I want to practice using it.
As a side note, what is your finish of choice for outdoor projects such as this? It's not something that will be sat on, or come into contact with food. The owner of a sawmill, says he uses tung oil. I was going to try that.

Thanks for all your responses.

Greg

[jteneyck]

My wife bought a Blackstone Tailgater grill. It will be used mainly on our deck. I want to make a cart with casters, so it can be wheeled around. I am going to go ahead and use the elm. I guess if it only lasts a couple of years, I will be making it again. Besides, I just bought a doweling jig, and I want to practice using it.
As a side note, what is your finish of choice for outdoor projects such as this? It's not something that will be sat on, or come into contact with food. The owner of a sawmill, says he uses tung oil. I was going to try that.

Thanks for all your responses.

Greg

Tung oil won't add much protection, a few months at best.  Paint offers the most protection, followed by marine varnish.  Both require periodic (read frequent as in every year) maintenance in order to keep water out.  If you do that you could expect a long life with nearly any wood.  If you'd rather not put that much effort into it I'd use something like One Time.  Pretty amazing stuff.  

John

[Gregor1]

Tung oil won't add much protection, a few months at best.  Paint offers the most protection, followed by marine varnish.  Both require periodic (read frequent as in every year) maintenance in order to keep water out.  If you do that you could expect a long life with nearly any wood.  If you'd rather not put that much effort into it I'd use something like One Time.  Pretty amazing stuff.  

John

At $92 a gallon, I would think it would be more than amazing.

[Roly]

Grey elm is also called American elm.  Here is a link that tells about it.    LINK   Roly