Feasibility of producing non-structural wood products using trembling aspen lumber

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Date

2025-01

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University of New Brunswick

Abstract

Trembling aspen (Populus tremuloides) is abundant in Canada but underutilized in non-structural solid wood products. This study was aimed at evaluating the feasibility of using aspen lumber to produce flooring, moulding, and siding. The shrinkage, surface roughness, and wettability of aspen wood were tested. The surface hardness, screw withdrawal resistance, colour change, and dimensional stability of three products fabricated were examined. The wood yield of each product was analyzed. It was found that aspen showed superior machinability and wettability to silver maple and yellow poplar. Aspen flooring had a Brinell hardness of 13.47 MPa, 60% lower than silver maple. Aspen moulding exhibited a screw withdrawal resistance of 23.42 MPa, 15% higher than eastern white pine. Aspen siding showed comparable colour and dimensional stability to spruce-pine-fir wood. The aspen wood yields were estimated to be 38.25%, 25.4%, and 49.2% for flooring, moulding, and siding, suggesting its potential for non-structural applications.

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