Bigtooth Aspen
Populus grandidentata · hardwood · Eastern North America · moderate movement
- Janka hardness 420 lbfred oak ≈ 1,290 lbf
- Density ≈ 27 lb/ft³specific gravity 0.39 at 12% MC
- Shrinkage — tangential 7.9%flatsawn width, green → ovendry
- Shrinkage — radial 3.3%quartersawn width
- T/R ratio 2.4 : 1higher = more cupping in flatsawn stock
Shop notes Like quaking aspen with a bit more heft. Low radial shrinkage but a wide tangential spread — expect flatsawn boards to cup if dried fast.
Seasonal movement at a glance
Width change for bigtooth aspen across a typical indoor year — 6% moisture content in the heated winter to 12% in a humid summer:
| Board width | Flatsawn | Quartersawn |
|---|---|---|
| 6″ | 3/32″ (0.102″) | 1/32″ (0.042″) |
| 12″ | 7/32″ (0.203″) | 3/32″ (0.085″) |
| 24″ | 13/32″ (0.406″) | 5/32″ (0.170″) |
| 36″ | 5/8″ (0.609″) | 1/4″ (0.255″) |
Run your own numbers
Different width, different climate swing — the calculator below is preset to bigtooth aspen:
Typical swings:
Bigtooth Aspen questions
How much does bigtooth aspen move with the seasons?
A 12″-wide flatsawn bigtooth aspen board moves about 7/32″ across a typical indoor swing from 6% to 12% moisture content; quartersawn, about 3/32″. Its tangential shrinkage is 7.9% and radial 3.3% (green to ovendry) — a moderate-movement wood.
How hard is bigtooth aspen?
Bigtooth Aspen rates about 420 lbf on the Janka scale — soft enough to dent in daily use (red oak is roughly 1,290 lbf). Density runs about 27 lb/ft³ at indoor moisture levels.
Is bigtooth aspen good for wide panels and tabletops?
Carefully. Its tangential-to-radial ratio of 2.4:1 makes flatsawn boards prone to cupping — choose quartersawn stock for wide glue-ups, alternate growth rings, and fasten tops so they can slide.
Similar species
American Basswood · Eastern Cottonwood · Black Willow · Quaking Aspen · Butternut · American Chestnut
Shrinkage, specific gravity, and hardness from the Wood Handbook, FPL-GTR-282 (2021 edition), USDA Forest Products Laboratory (public domain). Values are species averages — individual boards vary with growth conditions and how they were dried.