Lilac wood

[lee1596]

Hello, has anyone worked with lilac before? I'm likely to end up with some between 1 and 4 inches diameter, I'm considering using it for handles, stool legs, that kind of thing. I assume it would need to be dried out for a good amount of time before use.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

Having cut the stuff before I'd say it's pretty worthless.

 

[Tris]

Splits badly when drying and often has a spiral grain. Some sources on the net show it with an almost olive like grain but in 30+ years of gardening I've only ever seen it be a pale and uninteresting wood.
Apparently easy to turn, probably you'd get some pen blanks from it

 

[Phil Pascoe]

The stuff I've cut down has been soft and fibrous.

 

[Owd Jockey]

As Tris says, splits badly and very quickly. Because the tree is usually 'multi-trunked' you rarely get anything of great thickness. However, while it is poor for turning, at the moment it is blooming with beautifully smelling blossom. We have four mature Lilacs, all white.

 

[treeturner123]

When seasoned, it looks good as pens or similar small items, just be a bit patient!

Phil

 

[Duncan A]

It may depend upon exactly which variety it is but my experience is that it is a lovely creamy wood with pink to blood red heartwood.
Like many woods, the colour will fade over time but still an attractive wood that turns well - if you can stop it cracking!
Very often, it becomes available when it is starting to rot from within and then it's pretty useless.
Duncan