The choice of lumber for construction and finishing is always accompanied by questions about which type of wood will provide better quality and longer service life.
It is necessary to compare characteristics and cost, since these are the parameters that are usually decisive.
Wooden products made from pine, spruce and larch are the most common in Russia, and they can be purchased from almost any company specialized in building materials.
Unfortunately, there is virtually no interest in some breeds that deserve closer attention, although the history of their use proves that they are in no way inferior to the more popular and in demand.
These include the undeservedly forgotten aspen, lumber and products from which are practically never found on the open market today, since production is carried out mainly to order.
This is explained by the limited demand for aspen wood due to the lack of awareness of buyers about its characteristics and possibilities of use.
Features, Benefits and Features
One of the main advantages of aspen wood, which is highly valued by lumber manufacturers and builders, is the ability to remain in conditions of high humidity for a long time without losing its appearance and basic characteristics.
If we talk about strength, then aspen has practically no competitors when compared with the main species widely used in Russia, with the exception of oak and larch.
Over time, its strength becomes comparable to that of concrete, therefore, if you choose an alternative to more expensive lumber for this parameter, then aspen is an excellent choice.
The pleasant color of the wood, light, turning over time into a noble silver, is another reason why it is preferred. It does not turn yellow or blacken, as happens with other breeds, so even after several decades, products made from it do not lose their original appearance and delight with their beauty.
Ease of processing with mechanical and sharp hand tools is another significant plus. Aspen is easy to saw and cut, split and mill, and finished products made from well-dried wood retain their parameters and properties throughout their entire service life.
There are some nuances that must be taken into account by specialists, but which in no way concern buyers of finished aspen products.
In this case, we are talking about the features of its processing, affecting, for example, the drying of timber and round timber.
They lie in the fact that the humidity level in the central part of the tree trunk is much lower than in the peripheral areas, and this fact requires a professional approach to the process of drying the material. There are usually no other critical difficulties in preparing to work with aspen wood.
Types of aspen lumber
Edged boards are not at all afraid of moisture, do not rot when placed in a humid environment, and dry very quickly when properly dried, after which they become stronger than conifers. These characteristics affect the areas of use of lumber. First of all, these are wooden log houses, in the first crown, since there the wood should be as resistant to rot and moisture as possible.
After drying to a moisture content of 20–22%, the board becomes very durable, comparable to concrete. It is actively used for load-bearing structures - floors, beams, etc.
Unedged board
Unedged boards have a strictly fixed thickness - no more than 25 mm. It is used for construction only under the condition that the external characteristics of the object do not play a primary role - these are formwork, fastenings, fences.
Scope of application
Like any other species, aspen can be used in many industries, but most often products made from it are used in construction and finishing, and not only in Russia.
For example, in the USA and Canada, aspen is considered a commercial species from which houses are built and high-quality furniture is made. It is indispensable in the production of such lumber as round timber, timber, boards, chipboard, and veneer.
The timber makes excellent equipment for a bathhouse, for example, benches, ladders, shelves, etc.
In our country, this wood is mostly used in interior design work, although it is suitable for use at all stages of house construction.
— Construction of log houses and small architectural forms
Lower crowns made of aspen are a guarantee that the house will last at least a hundred years without major repairs. In Rus', logs located closest to the ground were laid mainly from aspen, since it was in this case that one could be sure that they would not rot or crack over time.
Using this technology in the construction of modern wooden houses will help protect yourself from the problems that usually arise when building from pine logs (changes in the color of the wood surface, i.e. the appearance of blue, cracking, rotting, deformation).
For the same reason, professionals and knowledgeable people, when choosing a material for the construction of a bathhouse or the construction of small architectural forms in the form of gazebos, wells, small outbuildings, give preference to aspen, because they are aware of its advantages and characteristics.
— Aspen floor board
Interior decoration of saunas and bathhouses with aspen floor boards is beautiful, practical, hygienic and durable. If you don’t want the floors to turn black a few years after building your sauna, then aspen for the floor is one of the best options you can have.
In residential areas, laying aspen floorboards is an equally practical solution.
— Aspen shingles for roofing and facades
Wooden roofs and shingled facades are not very common today, and in most cases this type of finishing is chosen when constructing houses and cottages in an ethnic style, as well as during eco-construction.
If you are interested in this option for constructing a roof or finishing facades, then aspen shingles can be an excellent alternative to more expensive wooden shingles made of cedar or larch.
It will also last a long time, but costs much less. If you want to make the roof of your house different from everyone else’s, or you are looking for an unusual material for exterior wall decoration, then aspen shingles are a high quality material at an affordable price!
An example of the fact that wooden roofs are not only beautiful, but also durable, is the Kizhi Museum-Reserve.
Aspen shingles have been decorating the silvery domes of churches and bell towers, emphasizing their majesty and nobility for several centuries, confirming that traditional materials are not only not inferior to modern ones, but also surpass them in many respects!
Aspen - characteristics of the tree, beneficial properties, use of aspen in everyday life and medicine
What an aspen tree looks like, where it grows, what are the beneficial properties of the tree and where aspen is used, we will now learn about all this.
The aspen tree is common in temperate climates. This species must be distinguished from poplar, its closest relative. With a slight blow of wind, its crown begins to move, which is why this plant is also called the “trembling poplar.” However, it is valued not only for its decorative qualities. Various parts of the tree are used for construction purposes and medicine, and the shoots are used as animal feed.
Furniture making
In addition to construction and interior decoration, interior items are created from wood. Knowing what is made from aspen, it is easy to choose the right specimen for your home. For the improvement of baths and saunas, preference is given to furniture with moisture-resistant characteristics. The raw materials do not rot, do not heat up from high temperatures and do not crack. Tables, shelves and benches will fit harmoniously into the interior and will remain durable for a long time.
In the warm season, aspen furniture is perfect for outdoor use. Strong wood will withstand changes in humidity levels without loss of appearance. Chairs and tables can be left on the terrace throughout the summer and autumn. The beautiful gray-white surface of the natural material is covered with stain, tinting varnish or water-based paint.
Interior items inside the house are often made from aspen. Traditional classic furniture is painted with special enamel or varnished. The facades can be covered with more decorative oak veneer, adding a luxurious touch to the design. When decorating rooms in a rustic and eco-style, components made from bare wood are appropriate.
Aspen sawdust is used in the manufacture of chipboard. The quality of the material compressed under pressure does not differ from pine and birch options. Due to the peculiarities of the technology, furniture loses resistance to humidity and mechanical damage. The top of the slabs is laminated with a special film or covered with a thin layer of natural wood (veneer).
Positive properties of aspen
Aspen is by no means a cheap material for construction.
Building a bathhouse from aspen, subject to careful culling, drying and processing of the wood, can cost a decent amount. Despite this, many lovers of Russian bathhouses are ready to spend money once and get in return a high-quality steam room and truly light steam. After all, the wood of this wonderful tree has the following positive properties:
- Long service life - a timber frame made of aspen, dried using technology and correctly assembled, lasts for many decades. This structure is not afraid of pests and high humidity. Over the years, the wood of this tree only becomes stronger and acquires the hardness of oak.
- Toning and healing effect - after visiting an aspen bathhouse, an improvement in well-being and general condition is observed. Staying in such a steam room is recommended for people with weakened immune systems.
- Disinfecting effect - aspen does not rot in water, but, on the contrary, disinfects it. By itself, it does not emit decay products, and fungi and mold do not grow on it. This helps create a light, clean and pleasant atmosphere in the bathhouse.
- Aspen does not heat up at high steam room temperatures and does not emit resin. Therefore, it absolutely eliminates the risk of sticking and getting burned during health procedures.
It is these basic qualities that make aspen so popular in bathhouse construction . And if it is not possible to make an entire aspen log house, then boards from this wood are used to make individual components of the steam room.
What is the value of Aspen wood?
Aspen is grown on an industrial scale or parts of wild trees are used. The bark is prepared for the winter and eaten to tonify the body and strengthen the immune system. Branches are added to sauerkraut to increase shelf life. Previously, flour was prepared from this plant, which was used in baking bread. Now this tree is valued for its high-quality wood, and also continues to be used in folk medicine.
The sex of a tree can be determined by the color of the inflorescences.
Aspen in medicine
Different parts of the aspen tree are a source of organic acids, vitamins, carbohydrates and other useful substances. Decoctions and infusions are prepared from its leaves and bark; shoots are used to prepare tinctures and ointments. The products can also be added to restorative baths. Depending on the method of application, aspen allows you to get rid of a number of problems:
- decoctions - for wet cough and excessive sweating;
- leaves - against hemorrhoids, seasonal diseases of the upper respiratory tract;
- bark in the form of tinctures - for arthritis, cough, inflammatory diseases of the urinary tract, as well as to stimulate immune defense and improve appetite;
- annual shoots - for bleeding;
- baths have a general strengthening effect and normalize the functioning of the nervous system.
Medicines based on aspen can be purchased at the pharmacy.
Aspen is popular exclusively in folk medicine. Such products have a milder effect than pharmaceutical drugs, but before using them you should consult your doctor.
Video: Aspen - beneficial properties and applications
Where does rotten aspen come from?
Aspen has been affected by a fungus since childhood - it settles inside the trunk and gradually turns the wood into dust. It looks like a good tree, but if you cut it down, it’s rotten!
And suddenly, in 1948, first in the forests of Kostroma, then in Kalinin and some other regions, “islands” of unprecedented greenish aspens were discovered. Their trunks are smooth, clean, without a single knot, the bark is light green and smooth.
The aspens were much taller than the neighboring spruces and pines - they towered above them like a green tent. And most importantly, not a single one was affected by the fungus. No matter how many trunks were examined, all were healthy. At first they decided that it was some unknown species of aspen. But then we realized: this is exactly what aspen should be. And people are largely to blame for its troubles. For many years, they cut down healthy trees first, and left those affected by the fungus in the forest. These trees produced offspring susceptible to the disease. So, in the end, it turned out that the forests were inhabited mainly by aspen trees affected by the fungus. That’s why they gave up on aspen: what can you expect from this tree, it’s rotten anyway!
Where can I get a good tree?
There was only one thing left: to correct the mistake, to return the aspen to its former health. Scientists have taken as allies the few surviving aspen trees that are not afraid of the fungus invasion and have found a way to quickly propagate this variety. It was then that the aspen showed itself: it became taller (it stretches up to fifty meters), and expanded in breadth (its trunks now reach a meter in thickness). And if you add to this rapid growth, it becomes clear what kind of ally foresters have received. Now no one scolds the aspen, they hope for it, they believe in its great future, as if confirming the judgment of I.S. Turgenev: “A troublesome, restless mistress among Russian trees.”
Have fun!
Characteristics of raw materials
The tree belongs to the numerous genus of poplars from the willow family. Due to its coreless structure, aspen has recognizable wood. The material has a smooth, almost undefined structure. The growth rings are almost invisible, so the raw material looks perfectly smooth with a velvety coating.
Aspen wood is very dense and uniform. Color varies from milky white to gray and slightly greenish. There are no rays diverging from the core on the saw cut. After painting, the surface does not show any structural details and always remains smooth.
Aspen wood is classified as a softwood in terms of hardness. In terms of abrasion resistance, the raw material is close to oak. Under the influence of shock loads due to its viscosity, the material does not prick or crack.
Aspen prefers to grow in wet soil. The humidity of a felled tree reaches more than 80%. The material quickly absorbs and easily releases moisture. After drying, the product does not deform or crack, maintaining its original characteristics for a long time.
Aspen grows very quickly, but in nature it barely lives to be 120 years old. Rot is the main cause of tree death. The disease penetrates the internal tissues through the damaged bark, after which the core rots. Healthy specimens processed into wood are not afraid of fungi and insects, preserving their strength and beauty for a long time.
Finishing a bath with aspen: pros and cons
If aspen as a building material has both pros and cons, then as a finishing material this wood is considered ideal.
Bathroom finishing with aspen
Firstly, aspen lining is very beautiful. White wood with yellowish veins is perfect for finishing a steam room and relaxation room.
Bathhouse made of aspen timber (overlap in the photo)
Secondly, aspen is not resinous. Unlike pine, which releases resin when heated and is not suitable for finishing a bathhouse, aspen, even when heated to 100 degrees, does not emit an unpleasant odor or resin. That is, the vaping procedure will be pleasant and safe.
Thirdly, it is quite difficult to get burned on aspen bath shelves. This wood heats up less than other popular woods.
Fourthly, the owners of aspen baths emphasize the special atmosphere in the steam room and the light, gentle steam. Most likely, the problem is again in the absence of pine resin and turpentine evaporation from the surface of the boards.
Washing room in an aspen bath
Chemical composition of aspen wood
| Substances | Researcher: Komarov F.P. Percentage | Researcher: Stromberg A.G. Percentage | Other sources. Percentages |
| Substances soluble in ether | 1,51 | — | — |
| Substances soluble in hot water | 2,96 | — | — |
| Lignin | 21,67 | 18,24 | 21,81 |
| Pentosans | 23,52 | 27,47 | 16,33 |
| Cellulose | 47,8 | 47,11 | 41,77 |
| Ash | — | 0,32 | 0,26 |
It will help you not to make a mistake in choosing
On our website you can buy materials such as floorboards made of cedar, aspen, larch, and linden at a low cost. The wood has excellent characteristics; it is produced, dried and processed in full compliance with the requirements and standards, which guarantees a long service life. From us you can purchase natural materials of various classes for flooring at an affordable price.
At the moment when the decision to purchase a floorboard has been made, many people wonder where to buy and how to save. There is a simple answer to this: “In our online store!” When purchasing products from us, you will be confident in their quality, and you will not have to worry about the material being deformed or having any flaws.
Floorboards with an impeccable reputation are the credo of our company. We always sell products of the highest quality.
In Rus', aspen has been used in the construction of wooden structures for thousands of years. It was valued for its magnificent properties - unique to this tree. Its strength, only gained over years of use, determined the use of aspen in the construction of houses, roofing systems, domes and temple roofs.
But this wood gained special respect as a material for the construction of Russian baths. To this day, the wonderful properties of aspen are in demand by lovers of strong and healthy steam.
Description of the tree
Common aspen, or Trembling Poplar, reaches a height of 35 m. Usually the trunk is straight, columnar. Up to one meter in diameter . The bark is thin, smooth to the touch, gray-olive in color. With age, lentils form on it, shaped like a black diamond (see photo). The tree is frost-resistant and grows well in moist, acidic soils and in shaded areas.
It differs from other genera and species, for example, poplar, in the shape of its leaves and flowers that appear in early spring. The leaves are rounded-rhombic, with a serrated frame, wider than long. The cuttings are thin and flattened, so the leaves easily touch each other. When the wind blows, the aspen trembles. The front side of the leaves is shiny, bright green, the back side is matte, but slightly lighter. The leaves of the lower order are larger, up to 15 cm in length, have a pointed top, heart-shaped, serrated-toothed edges, and pubescent on the underside. The leaves of young shoots are more similar to the leaves of poplars.
In spring, inflorescences appear on the trees . They are similar in shape to earrings and are bisexual. Women's are light green, men's are bright purple. In autumn, seed pods are formed. After ripening, the capsules open and the seeds, which have a tuft, are carried by the wind.
