Is cotton wood useable?

[Rick de Roque]

A friend has some large cotton wood trees that need to come down and he asked if cotton wood can be used for lumber. I have no idea so I thought someone here can give me some info on this wood.

Thanks,
Rick

[David Christopher]

its good for turning I dont know about flat boards

[Richard M. Wolfe]

Yes and no.

It depends on the species. We have cut some local cottonwood trees and the wood warped badly and was pretty variable in color. I guess it could have been used for something but why fight it when there's so much else out there? I think, but am not sure, that the local species is black cottonwood. How 'bout that for a contradiction?

But a local lumberyard used to sell cottonwood as cabinet lumber. Before I got a sawmill I bought and used some of it for various small projects. Cabinetmakers liked it for face frames because it had little grain and was easy to match when staining. The lumberyard doesn't carry it any more but the manager seemed to think the species was eastern cottonwood and it came from somewhere in the southeast. If you do use cottonwood be warned of the smell. If you use it I'll let you describe it....all I'll say is that it's awful. But the smell is easily killed with any kind of coating - shellac, varnish, etc.

[Gary Click]

The only thing that I am aware of that Cottonwood is used for is Railroad Tie Plugs. These plugs are place in spike holes if the tie wood has loosened up and will no longer hold the spike. The spike is then driven into the plugged hole to restore the fit. Cottonwood is used because it crushes very easily. Plugs are milled square for Cut Spikes and round for Screw Spikes (15/16" Lag Bolts).

BTW-To me cottonwood smells like it was stored in the cat's litter box.

gary

[Frank Drew]

I've used it for secondary wood, and for paint grade; I consider it along the lines of basswood.

I'd never use it with a transparent finish anyplace it showed; bland doesn't begin to describe how plain jane it is.

[Sonny Edmonds]

I donno about your area.
But I made a frame for an original painting by a local artist in Wyoming from some cottonwood I cut with my chainsaw and a home made version of an Alaskan Chainsaw Mill.
Western cottonwood seems to be like, well, cotton. It is nearly impossible to use as firewood even. Makes about 1 1/2 pounds of ash for every pound of wood you manage to burn.
I've never found any part of it worth the match.
Maybe yours is better?

[Eric Sayre]

I've used it for small projects. We had a sawmill & would occasionally cut some large cottonwoods.

Getting it to dry without warping is quite a trick. It does have an odor, but it never really bothered me.

It's some of the least stable lumber I've worked with. Avoid using very wide boards - rip & glue when possible.

It is good for small or hidden parts or bracing material. If I had some now, I would use it like most people use poplar.

Remember- get it stickered fast and use a lot of weight after sawing, otherwise you will have a twisted heap of lumber.

Eric

[Larry Edgerton]

If you get stuck in the mud, you can cut some and shove it under your tires.

Other than that, can't think of any.......

[Craig McCormick]

I carved several kitchen spoons from cottonwood several years ago. I would say its very close to basswood.

AZCRAIG

[Rick de Roque]

Doesn't sound like its any good or at least not worth the time and trouble. Thanks guys.

Rick

[David Keller NC]

Rick - One thing that you could recover from the trees with little effort is the bark. It's quite popular for folk-art carvings.

[Chip Lindley]

A 99% probability you are probably 99% right! Cottonwood is not very sought-after, thusly why many huge trees still grow in river valleys. Pallate mills don't even like it!

Do you have any sycamore on the property? Now thats a nice wood! Ray flecks when quarter sawn, and a feathery grain when plain sawn. IMO sycamore is wayy overlooked!

[Larry Copas]

I once sawed out a container load for export to China. They have a secret process where they turn it into fine cherry furniture normally sold for a very high price at Pottery Barn.

A lot of barns were built out of cottonwood...especially the big old barns to air cure tobacco up in northwest Missouri.

I normally keep a good supply of kiln dry 4/4 on hand for use as utility shelving, and jigs. It’s far superior to pine for paint grade work. Drawbacks as noted are warp during drying, and the smell when machined. Some lumber is subject to the fuzzies...I know of no way to tell which board will fuzz, but there are work a rounds.

And forget the notion of going into the ground in a pine box...it will be cottonwood...unless your rich. Me thinks that’s what the cottonwood I sent to China was really used for.

To answer your question it’s probably not worth the expense to have it milled and kiln dried...unless your gonna build a big barn and maybe even not for that use as your in yellow pine land.

[Casey Gooding]

The guy at my local sawmill gave me several pieces he had left over from a tree he cut. Mine is very similar to poplar, maybe a bit softer. I'm using it to make crown molding that will be painted.
Smells terribly like gunpowder when it's cut.

[Steve Southwood]

We use it for gates in the barn. Nice and light. Pretty tough, when the bull decides he wants out. Will usually keep him in.