CYPRESS HARDWOOD IDENTIFICATION GUIDE

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CYPRESS HARDWOOD IDENTIFICATION GUIDE

An In-Depth Look at Cypress's Characteristics, Color, Grain & More

Cypress

OTHER COMMON NAMES

“Cypress” can refer to dozens of different types of trees all over the world, but the most common varieties in North America are referred to as pond cypress and bald cypress. Other common names include yellow cypress, red cypress, and white cypress. [1]

LATIN NAME

Taxodium ascendens refers to the pond cypress, and Taxodium distichum refers to the bald cypress. Both of these are most closely related to the Chinese swamp cypress and the Sugi of Japan. [1]

CHARACTERISTICS - CYPRESS

The sapwood is nearly white, but otherwise tends to be a light yellowish brown with a mostly straight grain. Cypress can contract a fungal infection that leads to dark pockets within the grain. This is known as pecky cypress. [1], [2]

MAIN USES - CYPRESS

Old growth cypress was used primarily for the construction of buildings because of its decay resistance. It also found heavy use in shipbuilding. Second-growth cypress is used for siding and millwork, and pecky cypress can be found in commercial buildings as moulding, paneling, and other decorative elements. [2]

MOULDINGS
SHIP BUILDING
PANELING
 
 

MILLING PROPERTIES - CYPRESS

Cypress wood possesses easy workability, but sharp tools and light passes can help to avoid tearout. Cypress can have a moderate dulling effect on cutting tools. [3]

HARDWOOD PROPERTIES - CYPRESS

Old-growth cypress is more renowned for its durability and decay resistance than second growth cypress, especially the cypress heartwood. Painting, gluing, and finishing all pose no problems for cypress. It rates at 510 on the Janka Hardness Scale, so is technically a softwood. Its shrinkage is low, but still higher than that of other cypresses. [3]

Janka Hardness Scale

ENVIRONMENTAL PROFILE - CYPRESS

Bald cypress is native to to the southeastern United States, with a range stretching from Delaware to Texas. It is especially common in the swampy areas of Louisiana up the Mississippi River in areas with silt-rich deposits.

Pond cypress grows within the range of bald cypress, but prefers the coastal plain from North Carolina to Louisiana. It is typical of blackwater rivers and areas without silt rich deposits.

Despite North American cypresses being conifers, they are deciduous in northern areas or their range, losing their needles in winter. [1], [3]

CYPRESS PRODUCTS AT BAIRD BROTHERS

Baird Brothers Fine Hardwoods is happy to assist with any questions you have about our products.

 

Please call 1-800-732-1697 or Contact Us if you need help with our extensive inventory.

COMPARISON TO OTHER WOOD SPECIES

Source: The Department of Agriculture's Wood Handbook

LumberSpecific GravityJanka HardnessModulus of Elasticity (MPa)Impact Bending (mm)Grain
African Mahogany --- 830 lb 9,700 --- Medium/Coarse
Alder 0.41 590 lb 9,500 510 Fine
Ash 0.6 1,320 lb 12,000 1,090 Fine
Basswood 0.37 410 lb 10,100 410 Fine
Beech 0.64 1,300 lb 11,900 1,040 Fine/Medium
Birch, Yellow 0.62 1,260 lb 13,900 1,400 Fine
Cedar, Western Red 0.32 350 lb 7,700 430 Fine
Cherry, Brazilian 0.91 2,350 lb 22,510 --- Medium
Cherry 0.5 950 lb 10,300 740 Fine
Cypress 0.51 510 lb 6,300 --- Medium
Douglas Fir 0.48 710 lb 12,300 660 Medium/Coarse
Hemlock 0.4 540 lb 8,300 530 Coarse
Hickory 0.66 1,820 lb 11,900 1,120 Medium
Maple, Hard 0.63 1,450 lb 12,600 990 Fine
Maple, Soft 0.47 700 lb 7,900 640 Fine
Oak, Red 0.63 1,290 lb 12,500 1,090 Coarse
Oak, White 0.68 1,360 lb 12,300 940 Coarse
Pine, Eastern White 0.35 380 lb 8,500 460 Medium
Pine, Ponderosa 0.4 460 lb 8,900 480 Medium
Pine, Yellow (Shortleaf) 0.51 690 lb 12,100 840 Fine/Medium
Poplar 0.42 540 lb 10,900 610 Medium
Sapele 0.67 1,410 lb 15,930 --- Fine
Teak 0.66 1,070 lb 10,700 --- Coarse
Walnut (Black) 0.55 1,010 lb 11,600 860 Medium

*Data is based on a moisture content of 12%.

GLOSSARY

Impact Bending — In the impact bending test, a hammer of given weight is dropped upon a beam from successively increased heights until rupture occurs or the beam deflects 152 mm (6 in.) or more. The height of the maximum drop, or the drop that causes failure, is a comparative value that represents the ability of wood to absorb s hocks that cause stresses beyond the proportional limit.

Janka Hardness — Defined as resistance to indentation using a modified Janka hardness test, measured by the load required to embed a 11.28-mm (0.444-in) ball to one-half its diameter. Values presented are the average of radial and tangential penetrations.

Modulus of Elasticity — Elasticity implies that deformations produced by low stress are completely recoverable after loads are removed. When loaded to higher stress levels, plastic deformation or failure occurs.

Specific Gravity - A measure of the ratio of a wood's density as compared to water. If a wood species had the same density as water, the specific gravity would be 1.00.

SOURCES

  1. “Taxodium”. Wikipedia.org. Accessed Nov. 2021.
  2. “Wood Handbook, Wood as an Engineering Material”. fpl.fs.fed.us. April 2010. Accessed Nov. 2021.
  3. “Cypress”. The Wood Database. Wood-database.com. Accessed Nov. 2021.
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