The pictures below are of a piece of tongue and groove flooring from an old farmhouse supposedly built in the 1840's in northeast Ohio.
The flooring is 1-3/16 thick and looks like it was planed on one side. I thought at first it might be yellow poplar, however is seems denser that current yellow poplar I am familiar with.
My next thoughts were either chestnut or sassafras. There is no "root beer" smell on a fresh cut.
Any thoughts out there?
Thanks for any suggestion!
Ed
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/48890/1840_plank~2.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1610133320)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/48890/1840_end_grain~1.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1610133387)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/48890/1840_woodenggrainenlarged~1.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1610133432)
Birch I think. Rays are barely visible, distinct pores but small, diffuse. I rule out maple because the rays are not so distinct as they should be. Maybe it is just out of focus.
Sometimes planing involved glass scrapers. My grandparents built a house in the 40's with hard maple floor through out. All finished with glass scrapers.
chestnut has large earlywood pores, minute rays.
Birch
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/11009/SD_Birch-Grain3.jpg)
Different light
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/11009/SD_birch-grain.jpg)
maple
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/11009/SD_redmaple-endgrain.jpg)
Looks like some ash I have sawed.
Thank you SD and WV for your comments and observations!
SD, below is that same piece highlighted with water. Does that help with the "rays"?
Thank you SD for the samples you posted.
Also this wood throughout this old house is very dark - general overall color not lite colored like hard maple, rather the color of chestnut. It seems to be however as dense as maple.
The flooring could have indeed been scraped, because it does not have a even surface like planing. It has however been walked on for a few years. :D
Thank you for your input.
Ed
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/48890/1840_enhanced.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1610151675)
Birch?
The terminal parenchyma at the end of the growth rings indicates yellow poplar to me.
Thank you Btulloh and WDH for your input!
Below is a scanned photo of the same piece.
Also there is a fair amount of Yellow Birch that grows in the area this old home was built in.
Thanks to all for your thoughts.
Ed
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/48890/Scanned_4800~0.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1610204184)
Throw it through the planer and take a heavy bite. If its poplar the green will still be under there in fresh wood. Danny is the pro but I'm having trouble seeing poplar there.
Lots of yellow birch in flooring. I have trouble thinking it is anything else. :D
popcorn_smiley
I sorry it took so long to get back to Ya'll. I hope WD did not suffer any indigestion from all that popcorn looking for a speedy reply. :D
Don, in the photograph below, I cut the end of the piece on the table saw (planer unavailable). I saw no green in this piece or in any others that we have cut. All fresh cut pieces have that even yellow tone to them (except that original piece that I supposed was wane) and where it was exposed to the atmosphere, it has turned to the light brown as shown. The darkened streaks in this sample that was cut on the table saw, looks like stain permeation were created in fact by a fine file that I tried to smooth the cut with.
The next two pictures are scanned while dampened. They are both of the same piece, just one is zoomed in.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/48890/2nd_piece_end_cut~2.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1610406000)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/48890/Second_Piece_Scanned.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1610396124)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/48890/2nd_Piece_Scan_Wet_Cropped.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1610396123)
Please, your thoughts?
Appreciate your input!
Ed
Dang I hate that, its sure looking to me like Danny is right again :D
Guess I owe him a chunk of butternut for his popcorn.
Not birch in those latest pics. ;D As to poplar, can't help ya.....not aspen right? :D
My highly specialized, scientific, old wood tester is made by the Germans and called Boker Tree brand.
Maybe not classroom, lab true to form, but it relates to cutting on wood that came from a tree I knew when it was alive and often wearing it's leaves and bark.
When reclaiming wood it was always the first real look beyond the grime when nothing seemed easily apparent.
Birch is harder than poplar and the "Boker Test" would have solved that aspect instantly.