Aspen belongs to the vast genus of poplars, the willow family. According to the structure of the trunk, it is a non-nuclear, diffusely ductile tree species. On the territory of Russia, this tree is found everywhere in the European and Asian parts of the country, from broad-leaved forests of mid-latitudes to tundra zones.

This tree grows up to 150 years, but the cause of its death is often not age, but rot that affects the core of the trunk, so trees aged 30 to 50 years are usually chosen for industrial cutting. During this time, the tree reaches a height of 35-40 meters.

Aspen wood is dense, with poorly visible growth rings, homogeneous in structure. The moisture content of wood in the central part is lower than in the peripheral parts of the trunk. The color of the wood is white, grayish-white, sometimes greenish. On the cut it is impossible to notice the rays departing from the center. For some decorative works, such wood is of value precisely because of its uniformity. After staining or staining, the wood structure remains homogeneous and does not reveal any structural elements.

The humidity of a freshly felled tree is about 82%, while the maximum moisture content of this wood (during soaking) reaches 185%. With high atmospheric humidity, aspen quickly absorbs water, but also quickly loses it when it dries, which is a positive quality.

Wood in terms of resistance to biological factors belongs to the lowest, fifth class (according to ISO EN 350-3:1994).

In total, there are five classes in the above standard. The first resistance class includes, for example, Indian teak and Australian eucalyptus. Larch and oak are class 2 in terms of wood stability. In Russia, the resistance of a tree to the effects of fungi and mold is determined in dimensionless conventional units. According to the Russian classification, resistance to fungi is 1.2 units for mature wood, and 1 for aspen sapwood.

Industrial felling of aspen

The international standard for industrial wood is DIN 4076. Aspen wood belongs to the AS group.

In Russia, industrial felling of trees is carried out on wild forest plots, which are then restored in a natural way. In Western Europe, in recent decades, trees for industrial felling have increasingly been grown in nurseries. These are the so-called short-cycle forest nurseries. They grow, first of all, fast-growing species of trees (poplar, aspen). This approach to nature management allows preserving natural forests and growing wood of the required parameters.

Features of wood processing

If you look at the trunk of an aspen in a transverse cut, you can see that the wood has a nuclear-free structure. In general, the wood is soft compared to other hardwoods, its density is 400-500 kilograms per cubic meter (with a moisture content not exceeding 15%).

Aspen timber, like other lumber, is capable of absorbing a large amount of water, both in atmospheric air and under water, which is a negative characteristic of this wood. Aspen wood dries slowly, over several months; when dried, it practically does not crack and does not change its original shape (does not warp). Dried wood splits easily in the longitudinal direction. In the outer part of the trunk, the wood has a high density, so the wear rates during the operation of aspen products are high.

Humidity in the central part of the tree trunk is much lower than in the peripheral areas. This feature is taken into account by lumber manufacturers when organizing the drying of timber and round timber.

This wood lends itself perfectly to processing with mechanical and sharp hand tools, it is easy to saw and cut, it is easy to peel, chop and mill. It is easier to process damp, not completely dry wood. When polishing a tree, it is not easy to achieve a good smooth surface, although it is homogeneous, there are no pronounced growth rings and knots in the wood. Aspen well accepts impregnation and staining. Dried wood is not difficult to glue, it can be used to make furniture, the details of which are connected with screws or nails.

The use of aspen in industry

The main consumers of aspen is the construction industry. Various lumber is produced from it: round timber, timber, boards, chipboard, fiberboard, peeled veneer. From a bar make stock for a bath, for example, benches, ladders, shelves, lattices and pallets. Aspen rails are used to produce packaging boxes and containers for storing and transporting goods. Until recently, before the advent of computer technology, drawing boards were made from dense white aspen.

Chips are a by-product of production and are used as a fuel for thermal power plants, as well as a heater in rural and country construction. Chips used for combustion at thermal power plants are considered an environmentally friendly material, moreover, wood is a renewable natural resource. For heating private houses, chopped firewood, scraps from production, and fuel pellets are used.

Aspen wood is a raw material for the production of cardboard and paper. In the shoe industry, crushed aspen shavings are used as a material that absorbs moisture well. Peeled aspen veneer is used to make plywood, plywood, matches, and toothpicks. Caskets, baskets, gift boxes and packaging are made from it. Sliced ​​veneer finds its application for the manufacture of various household items. Curved, figured parts of furniture and decorative boxes are made from thin aspen plywood.

When burned without access to air, aspen produces good quality charcoal. It is used in the chemical industry and for artwork.

Traditional use of aspen wood

Traditional crafts of the peoples of Russia have been using wood for the manufacture of household items for centuries. Spoons, mixers, ladles and utensils, bowls and containers for storing bulk products are still made from aspen. Even at the beginning of the last century, buckets were made from it for storing borscht, cabbage soup and soups. The housewives noticed that in such dishes the food does not sour for a long time and retains its taste. Pickles are well stored in such containers, they do not become moldy for a long time. Apparently, aspen wood contains substances that kill bacteria and mold. You can still find recipes for salting foods, in which it is recommended to put an aspen block on the bottom of a barrel of cabbage.

In order for the aspen to be easily cut by hand, it is first poured with boiling water and kept for some time. After such a procedure, the wood becomes pliable to the cutter and its hardness can be compared to the hardness of frozen butter.

In Russia, bath log cabins were built from aspen, sometimes all bath “furniture” was made from it - shelves, ladders, benches, and so on. The reason for the love for this tree in the construction of baths is simple - aspen keeps heat perfectly and does not heat up from the heat. When dried, the wood does not warp, does not lose shape, and, thanks to the internal homogeneous structure, does not crack.

Roofs of houses made of aspen boards and elements have proven themselves over the centuries. Carved elements of aspen wood covered not only residential buildings, but also the domes of churches. An aspen roof dries quickly and well after rain, the tree does not rot, such a roof can last a hundred or more years. In addition, aspen eventually acquires a peculiar, grayish-silver color and looks beautiful.

Aspen has a lot of properties. But not every builder will be happy if he receives an order to build a building from this tree.

Positive properties of aspen

However, not everything is so bad. Aspen also has positive qualities, thanks to which it can be used in construction.

The first positive property of aspen is good strength. If the tree is well dried, then according to this very important indicator, it can even be compared with concrete. And over time, the aspen building only grows stronger, becoming heavier.

Another equally important positive property of aspen is moisture resistance and, accordingly, resistance to decay. If the tree itself grows in a humid environment and this inevitably rots right during its growth, then its wood can just withstand the negative effects of moisture for quite a long time. If dried aspen boards accidentally fall into a humid environment, they may temporarily lose their properties. But then, when they become dry again, all the lost properties will be restored.

Another positive property of aspen is the ability to exude a pleasant aroma. It is less tart than the smell of coniferous trees, and does not increase when the air in the room is heated. Therefore, baths are often built from aspen, and the walls of the steam room are lined with aspen boards.

And, finally, one cannot fail to mention such a property of aspen lumber as a low price. True, there is also a more expensive high-class aspen, and not everyone can afford it.

Negative properties of aspen

Often, professionals even refuse to work if they know that they have to deal with aspen. After all, many properties of wood of this species are negative.

First of all, it is worth mentioning such a negative property as an excessive amount of moisture contained in the structure. The core of the aspen trunk, as a rule, rots because of this. Moreover, the process of decay occurs even before the tree is cut down. But this is only the beginning of all problems. When deepening into the processing process, it turns out that only the top of the tree trunk is suitable for this. It can reach a length of four meters. All the same moisture contained in the structure makes aspen wood dry. As a result, one edged board has a very large weight.

In any case, if a person chooses aspen wood for building his house or for repair work, then more than half of the purchased boards will simply have to be thrown away, since they will not be suitable for work at all. Many of them will be crooked. And only a small percentage of the aspen board can be further processed.

Despite the emergence of new synthetic and polymeric materials, traditional raw materials, such as, do not lose their relevance and are actively used in various areas of our life. And the need for its production is constantly growing. However, against the background of other trees, aspen, which is one of the most common woody plants of the Eurasian continent, seems to be a little underestimated and undeservedly “pushed into the shadows”.

One of the characteristic qualities of common aspen is the high hygroscopicity of its wood, which is why it is often used for the construction of baths and wells.

The main advantages of baths built from aspen timber include:

• Durability and reliability. With high-quality drying of the aspen beam used for the construction of a bath, this material gains strength, comparable in strength to concrete. Moreover, these characteristics improve even more over time.
• Good moisture resistance. Unlike many trees of other species, aspen does not rot or deteriorate when it enters the water.
• No resinous secretions. Thanks to this, aspen baths do not need additional interior decoration.
• Nice unobtrusive scent. The wood of this tree has a light and pleasant smell, which does not change its intensity when this material is heated.
• Low price. Due to the low cost of raw materials (for example: a cubic meter of unedged aspen boards costs about 4000-4300 rubles), the construction of baths from aspen is very inexpensive.
• The presence of bactericidal qualities. Even in the old days, people noticed that the water in the wells built from aspen remained clean for a long time, did not rot and did not bloom, therefore dishes and utensils were also made from this tree. And in the bath, thanks to the heating of wood, these qualities were enhanced even more.

Photo of baths and log cabins built from aspen timber

Sauna No. 1 Sauna No. 2 Log house No. 1 Log house No. 2 Log house No. 3

Houses

Despite its ubiquity (aspen can be found throughout Europe and, partially, Asia), cheapness and ease of processing, aspen is rarely used for the construction of houses and outbuildings.

Since ancient times, people have treated it with some distrust, considering it a weedy and unnecessary plant. In addition, according to an ancient legend, aspen was exactly the tree on which Judas Iscariot hanged himself, who betrayed Jesus Christ, selling him for thirty pieces of silver, so it was believed that the wood of this tree has negative, dead energy.

These beliefs can be treated differently. However, against the use as a building material for the construction of houses, there are very real arguments.

These include:

• Insufficient quality of raw materials. Indeed, in order to find a beam suitable for the construction of a log house, you will have to spend a lot of time. As a rule, no more than 10% of the material from this tree has the necessary characteristics.
• Shrinkage susceptibility. Since aspen has a high natural moisture content, its wood can only be used for construction after thorough drying. However, during this process, it is strongly everted and twisted.

When building houses from aspen, the quality of the timber used is of decisive importance, especially its moisture content, which should not exceed 20%. Some experts recommend using aspen only for laying the first crown of a house from a bar, as it resists decay well and is characterized by increased strength, and lay out the frame itself.

Such a move will make it possible to reduce the cost of construction, since the cost of a bar of selected quality from aspen is quite high - from 10,000 per cubic meter. meter and above.

Eurolining, floor board, unedged from aspen

For the interior decoration of baths and saunas, aspen eurolining is used, which is distinguished by its attractive appearance, good moisture resistance and durability.

Her virtues:

• The elegant white color and the almost complete absence of knots, due to which the room, finished with this material, looks very cozy and neat.
• Not subject to rotting and cracking during operation. In a humid environment, eurolining made of aspen feels excellent, and when dried, it does not change its shape and does not crack.
• Due to the increased dimensions of the groove and ridge, the eurolining made of aspen is firmly and securely fixed to the base, which avoids the occurrence of cracks as a result of constant exposure to humidity and high temperature.

Its dimensions: working width without spike - 88 mm; width with spike - 96 mm; thickness - 12.5 mm. The board length range is from 1 to 3 meters.

According to a number of characteristics and external qualities, aspen eurolining is divided into 4 grades:

• "EXTRA", characterized by high quality, without knots and defects.
• "A", "B", "C", differing among themselves by the presence of a certain number of knots and other defects per linear meter.

On the video - lining from aspen, its features:

In addition, floorboards are also produced from aspen, which are of fairly high quality, suitable for finishing baths and saunas. Using a rating scale with a five-point gradation, this material can be rated "excellent" for its environmental friendliness, visual appeal and durability.

Aspen floorboards are characterized by good hygiene and high wear resistance, thanks to which they can be used for a long time without additional repairs and treatments.

In addition, when heated, the aspen floorboard does not burn the legs, which allows it to be used as a very practical and convenient material for finishing the floor of steam rooms and bath rooms.

For the production of rougher, "rough" construction work, an unedged aspen board of natural moisture is used. Most often it is used for the manufacture of flooring of various types, as well as the construction of battens, elements of load-bearing structures and other works.

A distinctive feature of this material can be called low cost with high strength and durability.

doors

In addition to being used as a practical and durable material for interior decoration of saunas, aspen wood is used to make durable and inexpensive sauna doors.

Door leafs made from this tree have practically no gaps and do not change their shape and geometry during operation, with constant exposure to high temperatures and humidity.

Their main advantages are:

• Price availability.
• No need for additional care and convenience in working with the material (Aspen does not emit tar, it can be easily processed with any cutting tool).
• Lightness, high moisture resistance, thanks to which the aspen door does not allow valuable and healing steam to leave the steam room.

Since the texture of aspen is not particularly expressive, to improve the appearance of the door, it is often covered with various stains and varnishes. The door leaf is usually made of selected grade wood, with a minimum of knots and defects.

For the manufacture of the box, simpler and cheaper raw materials are used, since it is closed with a casing and does not stand out in the interior.

Flaws: darkening over time and the possibility of latent rot.

Photo of log cabins and doors made of aspen

Doors #1 Doors #2 Doors #3 Doors #4

Aspen furniture boards

Natural wood furniture has been used by man since ancient times. And, today it does not lose its relevance and popularity. For its production, wood of various varieties is used, including ordinary aspen.

Depending on the size of the used press equipment, panels, facade elements, decorative panels, etc. are made from it. At the same time, the original wood raw material, which is used as a 30 mm board with a moisture content of 80%, undergoes preliminary processing: it is impregnated and dried for 70 hours to a moisture content of 10%.

lumber

Since aspen wood raw material has a number of specific characteristics, it cannot be attributed to universal materials that are ubiquitous in construction and industrial production. Therefore, lumber from this tree, for the most part, has limited use.

One of the advantages of lumber is its cheapness, however, this applies only to “rough” wood, which has a fairly large rejection rate of about 60-80%. For the production of outdoor work, the upper part of the tree is used, since its middle often rots during growth.

Lumber is subject to strong shrinkage and changes in volume and weight during drying, so as a building material it is of little value.

Wood processing

Being a fairly common and affordable natural raw material, aspen lends itself well to various types of mechanical processing: sawing, cutting, peeling, planing, etc. The largest percentage of material entering processing is accounted for by plywood-match, pulp and paper, container production and sawmilling.

Since aspen wood survives well the operations of peeling for veneer and planing, it is successfully used for the manufacture of plywood and matches. At the same time, in match production, it is especially highly valued.

Due to the absence of resinous and aromatic secretions, aspen wood is suitable for the production of barrel and box containers. Also, this material, which has a natural white color and a sufficient length of fibers, is used for the manufacture of paper and cardboard, fibreboard, chipboard, etc.

In addition, after appropriate processing, aspen wood can serve as a raw material for hydrolysis-yeast production, the manufacture of a substitute for petroleum fuel, and other purposes.

On the video - processing of aspen waste from a match factory on a granulation line:

Features of aspen products and reviews about them

It is mainly valued for its strength characteristics comparable to high quality concrete. Moreover, with age, aspen products only gain their strength and strength even more.

Therefore, dried wood is often used for laying out the lower rims of houses from timber and for roof truss systems. In addition, it is a good raw material for the production of outdoor furniture.

According to consumer reviews, during the operation of log cabins or lining made of aspen wood, there are no particular hassles and problems. For their cost, durability and practicality, they can be assigned a solid "five" on our rating scale. And their appearance and ease of manufacture deserve confident "fours".

What is made of aspen can be seen in the photo below:

Example 1 Example 2 Example 3 Example 4

Aspen boards and beams are quite rare on the sawn timber market today. This tree is undeservedly forgotten by woodworkers, but in vain. Aspen wood is distinguished by a number of technical and consumer advantages that are not inherent in every hardwood. It was not for nothing that in the old days it was one of the main building materials - well log cabins, baths, cellars were made from aspen, shingles for roofs were peeled. In addition, various utensils were cut out of it - buckets, ladles, troughs. All this speaks, first of all, of such an indispensable quality of wood as high water resistance. Aspen was used for the manufacture of hammer handles, ax handles, cuttings for various garden tools, which means that the wood is characterized by increased strength. Now master woodworkers have become more attentive to this breed and more and more often use it for the production of lumber for various purposes.

Biological features and geography of growth

Common aspen is a deciduous tree belonging to the Willow family, the Poplar genus. Aspen is often also called "trembling poplar" - this is how the Latin name of this plant (Populus tremula) is translated.

Aspen is a tall large tree, its height can reach 35 meters, and the diameter of the trunk is 1 meter. The quivering poplar grows relatively quickly, lives relatively briefly - the age of the oldest specimens reaches 80-90 years. The main disadvantage of this breed is that the wood is often infected with various fungal diseases, so large-sized high-quality sawlogs are very rare.

The root system of the tree is powerful, located deep, forming root offspring of great length. In young trees, the bark is smooth, its color can vary from greenish gray to light green. With age, closer to the base (butt), the bark cracks and darkens.

The leaf arrangement of aspen is alternate, the leaves are characterized by a rounded or rhombic shape, their length is 3-7 cm. In young coppice shoots, the leaves can be much larger, up to 15 cm long. In autumn, the foliage acquires different bright shades - from golden to bright red.

Aspen blooms before the leaves bloom with earrings, in which there are many small flowers. This tree is dioecious, male catkins are reddish, female are greenish. The fruit is a very small box with seeds, equipped with a bunch of hairs.

Aspen is an important forest-forming species in Russia; this tree is found throughout the country, most often in the steppe and forest-steppe zone. It also grows on the border of the taiga with the tundra.

This breed "loves" soils with high humidity, the tree feels great on the banks of reservoirs, near swamps. It is often found in forests, ravines, less often on dry sands and in mountainous areas. Aspen is part of mixed forests, where it grows next to conifers (pine, spruce, larch) and such hardwoods as birch, oak, alder. It is found throughout Russia and Europe, also grows in Mongolia, China, Kazakhstan, on the Korean Peninsula.

Physical and technical indicators and appearance

The structure of the tree structure in aspen is non-nuclear, scattered-vascular type. The color of the wood is whitish, often with a slightly greenish tint. At the same time, the texture does not differ in spectacularity and special expressiveness. Heart-shaped rays and annual rings are poorly visible here, so the wood pattern, unlike other hardwoods, looks rustic - aspen products are practically not used for decorative purposes.

The structure of the wood is uniform, per square centimeter (if you look at the cut) there are usually about 5.5 growth rings. The density of aspen with 12% humidity is within 495 kg/m2.

This material is quite soft, in terms of strength it is very close to linden. The mechanical properties of aspen lumber are approximately as follows:

• Static bending strength - 76.5 MPa
• Compression limit along the fibers - 43.1 MPa
• Tensile limit - 121 MPa
• Impact strength - 84.6 kJ / m2
• End hardness - 25.8 N / kV.mm
• Tangential hardness - 19.6 N / kV.mm
• Radial hardness - 18.7 N/kV.mm
• Percentage of radial shrinkage - 2.7%
• Density - 495 kg/m2.

With an average moisture content of a freshly cut trunk of 82 percent, aspen does not dry out too much. According to the shrinkage coefficient, it can be attributed to medium-drying rocks. In terms of load resistance, aspen can be compared with spruce and pine, it bends well, does not lose its strength characteristics with prolonged application of forces. At the same time, wood is highly resistant to abrasion, lends itself well to cutting and turning. Its structure is homogeneous, due to which, in the production of lumber, it is possible to saw blanks in different directions, at different angles. At the same time, a small amount of knots gets into the product.

After evaluating the above figures, we can conclude that builders in vain treat lumber from this breed with distrust. Apparently, this is due to the fact that the tree often grows in wetlands and is prone to fungal diseases. At the same time, infection occurs precisely from the core, which makes the infected sawlog unsuitable as a raw material for production. But, if the round timber is harvested of high quality, then it is able to adequately compete with coniferous raw materials.

Aspen cannot be called a unique tree, it is a solid middle peasant among competitors, deserving to be used. It is most often used to make timber and edged boards designed for special purposes. Baths / saunas are built from aspen timber. Edged boards, floor tongues, various small moldings (skirting boards, platbands, fillets) are made from this wood.

Aspen baths

One of the main positive qualities of aspen wood is its ability to withstand high humidity, even without any special treatments. Therefore, there is no better tree for building a bath or sauna (at least in terms of practicality and price). For the installation of the log house, an aspen beam is used, while the interior decoration is carried out using an aspen edged board. All kinds of bath utensils are also made from this wood - barrels for cold water, containers for steaming brooms, ladles, chairs, hangers, etc.

A bath made of aspen will keep heat very well. In addition, in this case, one cannot ignore such a feature of aspen wood as the ability to have a bactericidal effect due to the content of a large amount of tannins and aromatic essential oils in it. It is believed that the substances released during heating of this wood have a pronounced antitussive, anti-inflammatory and choleretic effect.

An important point is the low cost of timber and boards, so the construction of an aspen bath will be quite inexpensive.

Houses from aspen timber

Aspen is distributed throughout Russia everywhere, lumber from it is inexpensive and can be processed well. However, for the construction of houses, aspen timber is used very rarely. And this is due to two reasons:

• it is quite difficult to find the required amount of high-quality timber, since the tree is still subject to fungal diseases in the process of growth;
• the natural moisture content of aspen wood is high, therefore, if insufficiently dried lumber is used for construction, cracks can form in the supporting structures during the drying process and the geometry can change.

In addition, in certain circles there is a strong opinion that aspen has negative energy - this may scare some people away from using it as a material for construction and decoration.

How is an aspen edged board used?

In addition to finishing baths and saunas, aspen edged boards, due to their increased moisture resistance, are often used for arranging various street buildings. Floors are made from it in open verandas and gazebos, garden paths are laid in the form of wooden paving stones. Aspen lumber is also used for the manufacture of various outdoor furniture and decorative buildings. Benches, tables are made from it, and it is used as a finish for well covers. They say that there is no better material than aspen timber for arranging a well log house. After all, even in ancient times it was noticed that in such wells the water always remains clean and fresh.

A board of large thickness is suitable for assembling frame walls and interior partitions. An aspen edged board can be used for mounting the batten when arranging the truss system. Dry products are suitable for the manufacture of furniture elements and stairs.

Industrial processing of aspen wood

Aspen is an affordable and inexpensive raw material, while its wood lends itself well to various types of mechanical processing (cutting, peeling, sawing, planing). Therefore, this material is widely used for the manufacture of matches, paper, cardboard, containers of various shapes and purposes.

In the match industry, aspen wood is valued especially highly because of its ease of processing. Given that aspen is easily peeled into veneer, sometimes it is also used in the manufacture of plywood sheets.

Aspen wood has a natural white color and a sufficient length of fibers, which makes it an excellent raw material for the production of paper and cardboard. The wood of this breed does not contain resins, which makes it possible to make barrel and box containers from it.

Aspen lumber TU

As already noted, aspen wood, especially in sawlogs of great age and diameter, is often infected with rot. Therefore, when sawing logs into lumber, a lot of non-commercial wood remains, and this significantly increases the price of lumber.

Any wood product, as you know, must be made in accordance with the indicators specified in state standards (GOSTs) - this concerns dimensions, grades, geometry, etc. Given the characteristics of aspen wood, it is very problematic to do this without increasing costs. In order to reduce the cost and price of lumber, each lumber manufacturer, depending on the capabilities of the equipment it has, develops its own technical specifications - TU. Such documents allow the production of products that differ in size from the requirements of GOST. The main task of TS is to reduce the amount of non-commercial wood and increase the production of usable lumber, which is especially important in the case of aspen wood. The developed specifications allow the manufacturer to reduce the price of products.

Each buyer, in addition, has the opportunity to order sawn timber at the enterprise according to individual sizes, which will allow him to reduce the cost of installing individual structures and minimize waste. As you can see, the main difference between GOST and TU is the ability to satisfy the maximum demands of the consumer, who needs to have the right amount of high-quality piece products, while the “standard” dimensions are not important for him.

Pros and cons of aspen wood

From the foregoing, it becomes clear that the characteristics of aspen wood are far from unambiguous. For example, it is characterized by increased resistance to moisture, but it is often affected by fungal diseases.

This material has few disadvantages, but they are a fundamental factor when choosing:

• it is very difficult to find quality lumber in the required quantities, especially when you need a lot of it;
• the high natural moisture content of aspen wood leads, if the products are not properly dried, to warping, cracking and changing the geometric shape of the structures.

Let's highlight the main advantages of aspen as a building material:

• decent moisture resistance;
• good thermal insulation ability;
• ease of processing and installation, combined with strength and elasticity;
• the absence of resins in the composition of wood and high moisture resistance makes aspen an ideal material for baths and saunas;
• when processing aspen wood, the cutting residue of tools does not dull and does not require constant cleaning.

Some consider aspen wood very beautiful, and some, on the contrary, say that it looks rustic and is not suitable for design. Well, as they say, it's a matter of taste. In this case, each consumer has the choice and opportunity to purchase what he likes and is suitable for each specific purpose.

Bath from aspen timber.

If you are going to build a bath on the site, you need to choose the right material. Usually, favorite wood species are used: pine, spruce, linden. Some people prefer aspen to build a bath. What will be the aspen bath, the pros and cons of such a building, we will consider in this article.

The question may arise from people familiar with the quality indicators of aspen. Let's talk about the different properties of the tree, paying attention to the minuses and pluses. Let's start our review with the disadvantages inherent in aspen:

• The tree grows in wetlands. This contributes to the rapid decay of the inside of the trunk. You can notice looseness when cutting aspen, although it is difficult to determine externally.
• Aspen harvesting is rarely done. Tops of aspen up to 4–5 m in length are business. The rest of the barrel is unusable and the harvesting process becomes too expensive. Basically, the tree is cut to order.
• Aspen has high moisture content, which softens the wood. This property is both a minus and a plus for builders. When dried, aspen shrinks a lot, unlike pine, linden, birch. The trunk becomes thin, with improper drying it can crack, twist.
• But a wet tree is easier to process; after drying, it is impossible to manipulate the tool. Aspen becomes hard as a stone. This quality allows the aspen bath to stand for many decades without repair. The more years the log house, the denser the structure of the log.
• Having decided to build a bath from aspen, be prepared for the costs, because only the second or third tree is good. When ordering wood for self-building a bath, you will have to carefully select each log. If this is not done, the rotten tree will quickly infect the logs - the log house will rot in a few years.
• Having selected high-quality material, provide yourself with a bathhouse for many years, if the price becomes affordable for the budget.
• The disadvantages include the appearance of the workpiece. If pine, linden, does not require additional decorative processing, then aspen does not look presentable. Spots, darkening appear on it. The log house for the bath needs to be sanded, sanded, and given a white tint. Work is carried out in the presence of moisture in the trunk.

The seasonality of wood harvesting for the construction of a bath does not allow you to order material at any time. Harvesting is carried out in the spring with the advent of tree sap. Aspen is easily processed from March to May. Later preparation is not possible. This affects the price of a bath from this tree.

Positive qualities of aspen

Despite such a number of disadvantages, wood species also has positive qualities that contribute to the demand for this building material for a bath. Many appreciate aspen for the following characteristics:

• Durability. With the right choice of material, the bath will not require replacement of logs. A dried and properly assembled log house becomes stronger every year. Moisture, pests are not afraid of aspen, it is hard as oak.
• Healing properties. Many attendants note an increase in tone and an improvement in their general condition after visiting an aspen bath. It disinfects the water. This is evidenced by the fact that earlier water wells were made of aspen, the water in them did not become cloudy. A good tree does not rot, does not emit decay products that cause the appearance of fungi, microbes, and mold. There are, of course, people who experience headaches, loss of strength. Aspen is considered a mythical tree that takes energy from a person. These are all speculations. Not many people get negative feedback. Often people with weakened immune systems visit the aspen bathhouse, enjoying the aroma of the tree.
• Temperature resistance. The material does not heat up like other wood species. It is well used for sheathing walls, constructing shelves, benches, if the bath was chosen to be made from a different material. Aspen does not emit resins, there is no possibility of sticking or burning, as in a bathhouse, cut down from pine without finishing.

Having considered the characteristics of aspen, someone will doubt the advisability of using such wood for a bath. Some attendants will still choose aspen for the construction of a bath, relying on its resistance to internal and external influences of moisture and temperature.

We build a bath from aspen

1. Choose a tree that grows in a less wetland area. The trunk must be about forty years old. These conditions will reduce the risk of acquiring heavily rotted trunks.
2. Harvest during the period of sap flow. At this time, the tree is easy to cut down, it is easier to process. Leave branches and bark on the trunk to dry the wood properly. The buds will absorb moisture, the leaves will bloom, the first natural drying of the log will occur. The bark will not allow the log to deform.
3. Clean the blanks under a canopy, avoiding the sun. Direct beams will quickly draw out moisture, leading to deformation or cracking of the trunk. This is undesirable during the drying phase.
4. Leave the aspen in this state until next spring, treating the ends with clay. With the first warm days, remove the bark, which will peel off easily.
5. Start processing logs and felling a log house. The longer the wood lies, the more difficult it will be to work with it. The ax or saw will fly off the hardened surface.
6. Experts recommend cutting the bath into a “paw”, and not into a “bowl”, in order to avoid cracking the logs.
7. Polish the logs, treat with bioprotection. Additional lining inside is not required. The aspen frame does not tar, does not heat up, creating comfortable conditions for bathing procedures.

When preparing aspen material, do not be too lazy to check each tree for rot, preventing marriage in the construction of a bath with your own hands. This is hard work and time consuming, but worth it.

What is better for an aspen bath: a solid log or timber?

The bath is built both from a solid log and from a bar. In the production volume, aspen is harvested by both methods, making a thorough drying in the drying chamber. Raw materials have high humidity up to 80%, which increases the costs of the manufacturer. With complete drying, up to 50% of the material is lost. This cannot but affect the price. The labor costs for the production of timber are even higher, so the price is higher. The quality of the wood is not reduced.

You can choose ready-made, well-dried aspen for a bath to avoid the problems inherent in this type of wood. How to choose the right aspen for a bath, look at the photos and videos presented in the article.

One of the aspen baths can be seen on the video:

If an aspen log cabin is not affordable?

Many people choose pine or spruce for building a bath on the site. It's more accessible and less problematic. It is not necessary to abandon the aspen completely. Use it for the lower rims of the log cabin of the bath. They are more exposed to the external environment and internal humidity/temperature fluctuations. Over time, the logs will become as strong as concrete.

Make the interior trim with a pair of clapboard or aspen board, creating a comfortable environment. Aspen does not emit resin, exudes a pleasant aroma, relieves fatigue and stress.

Purchase aspen furniture. This will allow you to avoid the hassle of harvesting wood for a log house, and will make it possible to enjoy the pleasant and useful properties of aspen for many years.

Aspen barrels for cold water will disinfect it from germs. Even water left for a long time will not turn sour in such a container.

Having received information about the pros and cons of an aspen bath, draw the right conclusion on the choice of building material. In former times, this tree was valued for its hardness and durability. Many used it to build baths. Become the owner of an aspen sauna if you are ready to bear the costs, which may be higher than when choosing coniferous tree species. Such a choice will be justified by long-term operation.