by Professor Gene Wengert
Q.
I am steaming European beech. The steaming results are bad, darkening more than desirable. What is the best procedure for steaming?
A.
Is the darkening due to iron tannate stain (iron reacts with the tannic acid in the wood)? If so, you need to use oxalic acid to remove the stain. Otherwise, shorten the steaming time to produce less color development. Doesn't steaming also result in more cracking?
Professor Gene Wengert is Extension Specialist in Wood Processing at the Department of Forestry, University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Click on Wood Doctor Archives to peruse past answers.
If you would like to obtain a copy of "The Wood Doctor's Rx", visit the Wood Education and Resource Center Web site for more information.
| Common Lumber Name | A | B | C |
| Hardwoods | |||
| Alder, Red | 9.9 | 19.2 | 2506 |
| Apple | 10.9 | 31.7 | 4132 |
| Ash, Black | 9.3 | 23.4 | 4132 |
| Ash, Green | 14.3 | 27.6 | 3590 |
| Aspen, Bigtooth | 10.3 | 18.7 | 2439 |
| Aspen, Quaking | 10.3 | 18.2 | 2373 |
| Basswood | 6.2 | 16.6 | 2174 |
| Beech, American | 8.9 | 29.1 | 3793 |
| Birch, Paper | 8.8 | 25.0 | 3260 |
| Birch, Sweet | 11.9 | 31.2 | 4065 |
| Birch, Yellow | 9.2 | 28.6 | 3723 |
| Buckeye | 8.9 | 17.2 | 2235 |
| Butternut | 11.3 | 18.7 | 2440 |
| Cherry | 13.8 | 24.4 | 3184 |
| Chesnut, American | 11.6 | 20.8 | 2708 |
| Cottonwood | 8.5 | 16.1 | 2102 |
| Dogwood | 6.8 | 33.3 | 4331 |
| Elm, American | 10.2 | 23.9 | 3116 |
| Elm, Rock | 12.2 | 29.6 | 3860 |
| Elm, slippery | 11.5 | 25.0 | 3251 |
| Hackberry | 11.8 | 25.5 | 3319 |
| Hickory, Bitternut (Pecan) | 14.7 | 31.2 | 4062 |
| Hickory (True) | |||
| Hickory, Mockernut | 9.1 | 33.3 | 4332 |
| Hickory, Pignut | 9.3 | 34.3 | 4332 |
| Hickory, Shagbark | 10.9 | 33.3 | 4333 |
| Hickory, Shellbark | 6.6 | 32.2 | 4195 |
| Holly, American | 8.3 | 26.0 | 3387 |
| Hophornbeam, Eastern | 7.9 | 32.8 | 4266 |
| Laurel, California | 15.1 | 26.5 | 3456 |
| Locust, Black | 21.2 | 34.3 | 4470 |
| Madrone, Pacific | 7.8 | 30.2 | 3925 |
| Maple (Soft) | |||
| Maple, Bigleaf | 12.8 | 22.9 | 2980 |
| Maple, Red | 13.1 | 25.5 | 3318 |
| Maple, Silver | 12.4 | 22.9 | 2981 |
| Maple (Hard) | |||
| Maple, Black | 12.3 | 27.0 | 3523 |
| Maple, Sugar | 12.3 | 29.1 | 3793 |
| Oak (Red) | |||
| Oak, Black | 11.7 | 29.1 | 3792 |
| Oak, California black | 16.4 | 26.5 | 3455 |
| Oak, Laurel | 6.3 | 29.1 | 3791 |
| Oak, Northern red | 13.6 | 29.1 | 3793 |
| Oak, Pin | 13.0 | 30.2 | 3928 |
| Oak, Scarlet | 13.2 | 31.2 | 4065 |
| Oak, Southern red | 9.6 | 27.0 | 3520 |
| Oak, Water | 10.4 | 29.1 | 3793 |
| Oak, Willow | 6.4 | 29.1 | 3790 |
| Oak (White) | |||
| Oak, Bur | 15.4 | 30.2 | 3928 |
| Oak, Chestnut | 10.1 | 29.6 | 3858 |
| Oak, Live | 17.5 | 41.6 | 5417 |
| Oak, Overcup | 10.7 | 29.6 | 3860 |
| Oak, Post | 11.0 | 31.2 | 4063 |
| Oak, Swamp chestnut | 10.7 | 31.2 | 4063 |
| Oak, White | 10.8 | 31.2 | 4062 |
| Persimmon | 7.0 | 33.3 | 4332 |
| Sweetgum | 8.9 | 23.9 | 3115 |
| Sycamore | 10.7 | 23.9 | 3115 |
| Tanoak | 9.0 | 30.2 | 3926 |
| Tupelo, Black | 10.4 | 23.9 | 3116 |
| Tupelo, Water | 12.4 | 23.9 | 3115 |
| Walnut | 13.4 | 26.5 | 3454 |
| Willow, Black | 8.6 | 18.7 | 2438 |
| Yellow-poplar | 10.6 | 20.8 | 2708 |
| Common Lumber Name | A | B | C |
| Softwoods | |||
| Baldcypress | 13.2 | 21.9 | 2844 |
| Cedar, Alaska | 14.4 | 21.9 | 2844 |
| Cedar, Atlantic white | 10.9 | 16.1 | 2100 |
| Cedar, eastern red | 16.4 | 22.9 | 2981 |
| Cedar, Incense | 13.1 | 18.2 | 2371 |
| Cedar, Northern white | 11.1 | 15.1 | 1964 |
| Cedar, Port-Orford | 12.6 | 20.2 | 2641 |
| Cedar, Western red | 12.2 | 16.1 | 2100 |
| Douglas-fir, Coast type | 12.3 | 23.4 | 3049 |
| Douglas-fir, Interior west | 13.2 | 23.9 | 3116 |
| Douglas-fir, Interior north | 14.0 | 23.4 | 3048 |
| Fir, Balsam | 9.9 | 17.2 | 2236 |
| Fir, California red | 10.6 | 18.7 | 2437 |
| Fir, Grand | 10.7 | 18.2 | 2371 |
| Fir, Noble | 10.1 | 19.2 | 2507 |
| Fir, Pacific silver | 10.4 | 20.8 | 2711 |
| Fir, Subalpine | 10.5 | 16.1 | 2101 |
| Fir, White | 12.2 | 19.2 | 2506 |
| Hemlock, Eastern | 12.6 | 19.8 | 2573 |
| Hemlock, Western | 11.5 | 21.8 | 2847 |
| Larch, Western | 11.3 | 25.0 | 3251 |
| Pine, Eastern white | 12.3 | 17.7 | 2303 |
| Pine, Lodgepole | 11.5 | 19.8 | 2576 |
| Pine, Ponderosa | 12.6 | 19.8 | 2573 |
| Pine, Red | 12.2 | 21.3 | 2777 |
| Southern yellow group | |||
| Pine, Loblolly | 12.9 | 24.4 | 3183 |
| Pine, Longleaf | 15.0 | 28.1 | 3658 |
| Pine, Shortleaf | 12.9 | 24.4 | 3183 |
| Pine, Sugar | 12.6 | 17.7 | 2302 |
| Pine, Western white | 10.0 | 18.2 | 2370 |
| Redwood, Old growth | 14.9 | 19.8 | 2573 |
| Redwood, Second growth | 13.2 | 17.7 | 2302 |
| Spruce, Black | 11.3 | 19.8 | 2575 |
| Spruce, Engelmann | 10.0 | 17.2 | 2234 |
| Spruce, Red | 10.6 | 19.2 | 2506 |
| Spruce, Sitka | 10.8 | 19.2 | 2506 |
| Tamarack | 12.0 | 25.5 | 3318 |
