# Red Elm



## Oscar (Jun 7, 2008)

In previous posts I have discussed the use of Red Elm as flooring. Specifically I had asked if anyone had experience or new first hand of it's use as flooring. I got no responses, in any case we're goin to give it a try, thought I'd post a couple of pictures that I feel exemplify why I am anxious to make it work. It's turning out to be my favorite wood (asthetically) .


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## TexasTimbers (Oct 17, 2006)

I don't know why you can't use Red/Slippery Elm for flooring. It's hard enough that's for sure. I can't think of a single species that _couldn't_ be used for flooring if you went in with an understanding of the weaknesses of that species for that application. But how much trouble do you want to go through? 

Red Elm will be harder to machine than pine obviously but will stand up better to abuse. Easier to machine than Pecan but much harder to dry. So you get the good and bad with nearly every species.

I have never personally milled any red/slippery elm, but my understanding is that it's a booger bear to dry. You might want to use it for something besides flooring if you find out from others who have worked with it that my impression of it is correct. If you do use it for flooring, just get the MC% down as low as you can then observe the ubiquitous, but important advice of acclimating it for a couple weeks where it'll be in service. 

I remembering reading on Woodweb once in the commercial drying forum where a guy said that species is one of the most unstable species he has ever dealt with, and that it must be air dried several months before going into the kiln or else they would come out pretzels. But keep in mind i have zero experience with it myself so maybe someone else here has. 

It sure is pretty that's for sure.


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## knotscott (Nov 8, 2007)

I love the look of elm and find it worth the trouble to work with. 

Some clarification please, because I'm confused... I recalled responding to your previous post with my experience using elm, along with someone else.http://www.woodworkingtalk.com/f26/red-elm-8421/#post65806 Why do you view those responses that occurred within hours of the initial post as "_no response_" to your post?


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## jeffreythree (Jan 9, 2008)

Please keep posting updates on how your floor turns out. I have been interested in it since your original post. I, too, like how red elm looks and have plenty of it(slippery elm) available to me. I also have cedar elm available to me, and it looks similar to red elm but is almost as hard as hickory. I have experimented with a couple of elms just to see how they air dry. It takes a lot of weight to keep them flat. My latest try is ~70 bdft on the bottom of several hundred bdft of oak and 300 pounds of weight on top. My first try resulted in lots of short boards because of movement while drying.


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## Daren (Oct 14, 2006)

I am going to muddy the water, and bring up something that may be just a crazy theory of mine/another topic of discussion. I mill a decent amount of red elm, I personally like it. I have no problems at all drying it, don't even really put any extra effort into restraining it while drying. 

The crazy theory part: I think there is a regional difference in some wood characteristics :confused1:, north vs south, even in the same species. Example: sweetgum, it for me is one of the hardest (next to impossible) to dry flat. While over the years I have heard the southern boys talk about it and they don't have near the trouble I/others up north here do. Like it is no big deal.

We may have another case here with the red elm. While down south some of the guys say it is problematic to dry, I like I said find it easy.

This is a bookcase my dad made from air dried red elm. (the door is ajar a little, the driveway is really sloped and it popped open as we walked away from it) Like I said, just air dried, and it dried nice and flat. He mentioned no problems working it and the bookcase has been in his house for 3(?) years now and looks like it did the day he built it.

Some woods like walnut/cherry and red elm I don't even kiln dry for personal use, they are stable enough air dry. 

To mimic what TT said, any wood can be used for flooring taking into consideration it's strengths and weaknesses/proper installation...and I like you Oscar think it is very pretty, it would make a gorgeous floor IMO.

I say if you get it milled and it behaves in the drying stacks, go for it.


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## Julian the woodnut (Nov 5, 2008)

I just finished drying a load of American elm which was supposed to be unstable also. Well I dried it over the winter in a solar kiln with no real checking and minimal warpage, so I say go for it. Look all the people who put red oak floors in their house don't even realize that IT is an unstable wood. I think its just used because of its predominance in the forest industry.


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## Oscar (Jun 7, 2008)

Thank's for all the responses. I've also heard about it's "instability" and have noticed some cuppping and a little splitting with a stack previous cut and air dried but no more so than the Cherry I've cut. Daren, I've got another strange suggestion since you threw out the regional difference issue. The main employee of our Finish carpenter suggestes we consider making shallow 1/8-1/4 evey 6-8" cuts on the back side of the board before placement and then nailing with square headed nails and then running a belt sander over it prior finishing. Thought is, the reliefs will give it room to express itself without major shifting, the square nails would grip it far better and the sanding would give it the old Barn look. What ye all say to that idea??? Again looking for your experience and/or feedback as I'm really behind the curve on this:yes::yes:


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## woodworks (Feb 12, 2008)

Well I thought that since this will be an even 301 post's for me, I would step in with my opinion. 

I'm in Ohio and for me, the time I have used red elm is for small projects. The only thing I have found bad about it is that it will split very easily when routed. It seems to have a problem that it will go from a small rip into going into the board. Sometimes quite severily. So you will have to watch about the tongue & groove making. I do agree that it does warp and cup if your not careful. As for me, I don't use long enough boards for that to be a problem. For me, it sands great and finish's great. I have a small foot stand that I have only stained and it gets beat and used to death and so far it has held up very well. 

In this part of the world, I have had pieces made and people couldn't tell it from red oak unless they were side by side. 

So I say, go for it. I think you will be please with it. How wide are your boards going to be?

Daren: That is a nice bookcase.


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## jeffreythree (Jan 9, 2008)

Seems the cuts are a throw back to times when kiln drying caused a lot of case hardening. Lots of different opinions here: http://www.woodweb.com/knowledge_base/Why_is_Wood_Flooring_Kerfed_on_the_Bottom_Face.html . One idea is that they are there to help the roaches get out:icon_smile:.


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## clarionflyer (Apr 27, 2008)

I've laid 4 elm floors now. I think it goes down much like oak. Everybody always comments on the elm... it's beautiful.

I've noticed the elm marks a little easier than oak. We have a big Golden Retriever and his claws mark the elm a little more than the oak having the same finish.
But it's my favorite wood for flooring. And I can usually get a better deal on elm at the lumber mill.
Good luck.


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## Oscar (Jun 7, 2008)

knotscott said:


> I love the look of elm and find it worth the trouble to work with.
> 
> Some clarification please, because I'm confused... I recalled responding to your previous post with my experience using elm, along with someone else. Why do you view those responses that occurred within hours of the initial post as "_no response_" to your post?


Scott I didn't mean my "no response" to mean that "no one" had responded I meant it as no one (directly) had indicated they had used it or knew of it being used for flooring! 
i have/do have post's wherein there where no or limited responses though!!


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## Oscar (Jun 7, 2008)

Thank's again for all the responses:thumbsup: Clarionflyer, your the first (directly) i've heard using Red Elm as flooring and it's great to hear you prefer it over other species for that.


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## TexasTimbers (Oct 17, 2006)

Oscar said:


> i have/do have post's wherein there where no or limited responses though!!


We all do Oscar. Be like us and have a good cry then get over it. How's that for a response. :laughing:


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## Oscar (Jun 7, 2008)

*Mr. Sensitive*

Kevin:

I knew I could count on you to understand:icon_smile: Things are great as long as I have no expectations:thumbsup:


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## knotscott (Nov 8, 2007)

Oscar said:


> Scott I didn't mean my "no response" to mean that "no one" had responded I meant it as no one (directly) had indicated they had used it or knew of it being used for flooring!
> i have/do have post's wherein there where no or limited responses though!!


Thanks for clarifying...I'll bet elm will make for some really interesting flooring. I sit and stare at our nightstands a lot...cool stuff. :thumbsup:


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## woodworks (Feb 12, 2008)

*Really told him didn't you?*



TexasTimbers said:


> We all do Oscar. Be like us and have a good cry then get over it. How's that for a response. :laughing:


 
If you would spend as much time working in your shop as you do in here being *Mr. Sensitive* , you might get some things done. :yes:


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## TexasTimbers (Oct 17, 2006)

woodworks said:


> If you would spend as much time working in your shop as you do in here being *Mr. Sensitive* , you might get some things done. :yes:


  ​
I'm gonna tell you said that. No idea who I will tell but I'll think of something. :blink:


Got the box yesterday, thanks. :thumbsup: Yours is 90% ready. Of course as much time as I spend on here that last 10% might take another month depending on how much you make me cry. :lol:










.


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## woodworks (Feb 12, 2008)

TexasTimbers said:


> ​
> 
> I'm gonna tell you said that. No idea who I will tell but I'll think of something. :blink:
> 
> ...


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## Bob Willing (Jul 4, 2008)

If you lived near the UP of Michigan (Crystal Falls) you could drop off a log 6" longer than the diameter, that would make a nice bowl.











'


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## Toolman50 (Mar 22, 2015)

Oscar said:


> In previous posts I have discussed the use of Red Elm as flooring. Specifically I had asked if anyone had experience or new first hand of it's use as flooring. I got no responses, in any case we're goin to give it a try, thought I'd post a couple of pictures that I feel exemplify why I am anxious to make it work. It's turning out to be my favorite wood (asthetically) .


I’ve been woodworking for many years but I’ve never seen Red Elm until now. I think it’s a beautiful wood. One of the Texas posters says they are familiar with it but I don’t think Red Elm is readily available in Texas.


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