AMERICAN GUM

American gum is an important and diverse group of hardwoods, often undervalued and growing sustainably throughout the Eastern and particularly the South Eastern USA. Not to be confused with Australian gum (Eucalypt)

LATIN NAME

Liquidambar styraciflua

OTHER COMMON NAMES

redgum, sweetgum

american_gum

FOREST DISTRIBUTION

COMPARE SPECIES

American gum trees are large with straight trunks growing widely across the South Eastern USA. There are several other, non-commercial, gums that also grow across the USA.

MATERIAL AVAILABILITY

COMPARE SPECIES

American gum is available as sawn lumber and veneer in a variety of grades and sizes. It is usually sold as sapgum with no colour specification. Under NHLA Grading Rules each clear cutting must have one red (heartwood) face. When sorted for colour redgum (majority heartwood) is much more limited in availability. Lumber is more likely to be available in thinner stock (4/4” & 5/4”) and may be more limited in export markets.

WOOD DESCRIPTION

COMPARE SPECIES

Gum has a fine uniform texture, but has irregular grain, usually interlocked, often with an attractive grain figure. The sap of gum tends to be wide and is white to light pink in colour, whereas the heartwood is reddish brown, typically with dark streaks.

MECHANICAL PROPERTIES

The wood of gum is only moderately hard to soft, stiff and heavy, but has low steam bending classification. The wood is close grained.

0.62

Specific Gravity(12% M.C.)

689kg/m3

Average Weight(12% M.C.)

13.40%

Average Volume Shrinkage(Green to 6% M.C.)

114,457MPa

Modulus of Rupture

13,859MPa

Modulus of Elasticity

56.33MPa

Compressive strength (parallel to grain)

5,604N

Hardness

Oiled / Un-Oiled Appearance

COMPARE SPECIES
Oiled
american_gum_oiled
Un-Oiled
american_gum_unoiled

PERFORMANCE

COMPARE SPECIES

● Gum is easy to work with both hand and machine tools. It nails, screws and glues well, takes stain easily and can be sanded and polished to an excellent finish. Gum dries rapidly with a strong tendency to warp and twist. It has a large shrinkage and is liable to movement in performance.

● The wood is rated as non-resistant to decay. The heartwood is moderately resistant to preservative treatment, but the sap is permeable.

MAIN USES

COMPARE SPECIES

Main uses are cabinet making, furniture and furniture parts, doors, internal joinery and mouldings. Gum has been used and stained, as a substitute for walnut or mahogany.

Cabinet
Door
Furniture
Moulding

EAXMPLE OF USE