Linden - the wood of carvers

Lime wood is not a spectacular wood like ulm or acaciabut it is unfair to ignore it. It is the same as neglecting the good and quiet child, giving more attention to the clever but naughty one. Because lime is a problem-free wood that dries without disturbing warping or cracking and is very easy to work. Although it has the strength oak, is appreciated primarily for the ease with which it can be carved. Let's see what other surprises linden and linden wood has in store.

The old lime tree

The lime tree is one of the oldest trees on the planet. It is thought to have been around since the Cretaceous, with fossilised linden wood found in several places in the northern hemisphere. It is a long-lived tree that can live for more than 1000 years. For example, in the Imperial Castle in Nuremberg is a lime tree said to have been planted over 1000 years ago by the wife of King Heinrich II of Germany (Rex Romanorum). Slovenia also has a famous lime tree - Najevska lipa - which is over 700 years old and is used as a meeting place for various events.

The most famous lime tree in Romania is Eminescu's Linden located in the Copou Garden in Iasi. It is a symbol of the city and is over 500 years old. Another famous linden is also found in Bârnova, believed to be almost 700 years old, or in Maramureș. This is where George Pop de Băsești's Union Linden is believed to be over 300 years old. Legend has it that it was in the shade of this linden tree that those who planned the Great Union met.

The lime tree is considered by the people of the villages a holy wood because "where there is a lime tree, it never thunders". That's why it is used to build churches and church objects. At Whitsun, holy linden branches are placed at the gate to protect the household from evil.

Lime tree

There are more than 30 types of linden around the world, differing in leaf shape, flower shape and size. In addition to these, there are several other hybrid species resulting from crossbreeding. The most common in Europe is Tilia europaea, a hybrid between Tilia cordata and Tilia platyphyllos. If you are curious to search for information in English about lime you should look for lime tree or linden tree.Different types of linden exist in North America, the Middle East, China or Japan, with the area of development being in the northern hemisphere. The tree grows to a height of 20-40 m and a diameter of 1.5-2 m. It has a rich crown and is prized for retaining a lot of dust from the atmosphere (third after oak and elm). The flowers - small inflorescences at the end of a slender stem - are yellow and have an unmistakable scent that envelops towns towards the end of May.

Lime is highly prized for its healing powers. The flowers are best known as a remedy for coughs, colds or nervous or anxious conditions. But in pharmacy, both human and veterinary, the wood or bark of the tree is also used.

Characteristics of lime wood

Even though there are so many species of lime trees, the difference between their wood is inscrutable. The colour is yellowish-white to cream with slightly reddish or greenish tinges. It darkens with age to dark yellow or light brown. The sapwood is indistinguishable from the heartwood and the annual rings are very inconspicuous. The fibre is straight, uniform, homogeneous and fine.

The density of lime wood is 560 kg/m³ when the wood is dry. It is a light wood although it has very good strength. It dries fairly quickly, does not crack, and warping during drying is very small. However, it has a medium to low durability and is easily attacked by fungi or insects. It is therefore not recommended for outdoor use.

Lime wood is easy to process, both by machine and by hand. When working by hand, very sharp tools must be used because it tends to splinter. It is easy to glue and can be beaten, sieved, oiled or lacquered without any problems. Did I mention that the lime tree looks a lot like poplarThe difference is the slightly reddish colour and slightly denser fibre. This makes the yew colour more evenly than the poplar, which stains easily.

Uses of lime wood

Because it is light and soft, linden wood is very easy to work, and is probably the most commonly used wood for hand carving. It is very popular with beginners because it does not resist and does not crack. It is used in the form of lumber, aesthetic or technical veneer, tackle.

Lime wood is made frames for paintings or mirrors. It is a very good raw material for decorative objects such as spoons or small sculptures. It is easily turned into bowls or other types of dishes. Because it is light, it is used to make electric guitars and other musical instruments.

Furniture is also made from lime wood. There was a time when, along with poplar, it was used extensively to make furniture called poor art. It was preferred to poplar because of its ease of processing, but at the time it was much more expensive. In the meantime, the price difference is not so great, with poplar also increasing in value. I discovered the difference between the two species by finishing them. In general appearance they were not very different, the slightly reddish colour of the lime making the difference. But when finishing, the difference was heaven to earth. Whereas poplar is very difficult to stain, almost always coming out with spots and needing further smoothing, lime stains beautifully, evenly and rarely needs touching up.

Because it is lightweight, despite its low outdoor resistance, it is used for obtaining shutters. It is recommended, however, to install in places protected by awnings or where the window is set back inwards. And to the delight of children (and others) it is used to make puppets, i.e. the main actors in puppet theatres.

Article completes the collection Wood specieswhich you can access at any time on the website. If it might be of interest to others, you can share it. And if you have any questions, queries or additions, please leave them in the space below. As you are already used to, I will answer you. 🙂