How to ID heartwood

Jim Tesno · Post by **Jim Tesno** » Fri Oct 16, 2009 9:04 am

This is probably woodworking 101 so please excuse the stupid question from a rookie.

Have the bottom pretty much dismantled and intend to buy wood tomorrow to make a new keelson. Lumberyard says they don't pick out heartwood but would let me loose in their piles to pick out my own wood. I assume that hearwood would have tight concentric circles/year growth? Am I right? What should I look for in picking out my wood? What should I stay away from?

Any responses by Saturday AM would be greatly appreciated.

Phill Blank · Post by **Phill Blank** » Fri Oct 16, 2009 1:21 pm

Jim,

Small radius to the annual rings is a good indication of heart wood. Also you can offten tell by color generally heatwood is a little darker in color, but that will depend onthe individual tree also.

Look for smaller radius is a good indication.

If anyone else has any ideas let Jim know.

Good Luck,

Phill

LancerBoy · Post by **LancerBoy** » Fri Oct 16, 2009 5:09 pm

Tight or close together growth rings indicate slow growth. Nothing to do with heartwood or sapwood. Sapwood rings can be close together. Heartwood starts at the center of the tree and will work its way outwards. Sapwoodis on the outer ring of the tree. The heartwood is actually not conducting the live juices of the tree - that's the job of the sapwood.

Colour is the determining factor. Heartwood is darker. In white oak it's very close to sapwood tho.

Andreas