Larch wood – a literature review FOREST & LANDSCAPE WORKING PAPERS 23 / 2007 By Andreas Bergstedt and Christian Lyck (eds.) Title Larch wood – a literature review Authors Andreas Bergstedt and Christian Lyck (eds.) Publisher Forest & Landscape Denmark University of Copenhagen Hørsholm Kongevej 11 DK-2970 Hørsholm Tel. +45 3533 1500 Email [email protected] Series-title and no. Forest & Landscape Working Papers no. 23-2007 published on www.SL.life.ku.dk ISBN ISBN 978-87-7903-337-5 Citation Andreas Bergstedt and Christian Lyck (eds.). Larch wood – a literature review. Forest & Landscape Working Papers no. 23-2007. Forest & Landscape Denmark Citation allowed with clear source indication Written permission is required if you wish to use Forest & Landscape’s name and/or any part of this report for sales and advertising purposes. LARCH WOOD a literature review conducted for The Nordic Forest Research Co-operation Committee (SNS) Project no. SNS 80, March 2003 Contents: 1. Use and availability of Larch wood in Northern Europe p. 1 2. Sibirian Larch as raw material (Finland) p. 67 3. Properties and processing of Larch timber (Soviet / Russia) p. 87 1: Use and availability of Larch wood in Northern Europe - a literature review Christian Lyck & Andreas Bergstedt The Royal Veterinary and Agricultural University, Unit of Forestry Rolighedsvej 23, DK-1958 Frederiksberg Copenhagen, Denmark I II Table of Contents Table of Contents.............................................................................................................. III 1. Introduction.................................................................................................................1 1.1 Background............................................................................................................... 1 1.2 The need for research................................................................................................ 3 2. Taxonomy of larch.......................................................................................................... 4 2.1 Description of the larch species ................................................................................ 4 2.1.1 Larix decidua (European larch): ........................................................................ 5 2.1.2 Larix sibirica (Siberian larch):........................................................................... 6 2.1.3 Larix gmelinii (Asian larch): ............................................................................. 7 2.1.4 Larix laricina (Tamarack): ................................................................................. 7 2.1.5 Larix kaempferi (Japanese larch):...................................................................... 8 2.1.6 Larix griffithiana (Sikkim larch):....................................................................... 9 2.1.7 Larix potaninii (Chinese larch):......................................................................... 9 2.1.8 Larix mastersiana (Masters larch):..................................................................... 9 2.1.9 Larix lyallii (Subalpine larch):........................................................................... 9 2.1.10 Larix occidentalis (Western larch):.................................................................. 9 2.1.11 Larix x eurolepis (Hybrid larch): ................................................................... 10 2.2 Concluding remarks................................................................................................ 10 3. The use of larch wood in the past and in the present.................................................... 11 3.1 Applications of larch wood..................................................................................... 11 3.2. The use of larch in the Nordic countries................................................................ 12 3.3. The use of larch in other European countries ........................................................ 12 3.4 Concluding remarks................................................................................................ 13 4. Availability ................................................................................................................... 14 4.1 Availability in the countries participating in the research project .......................... 14 4.1.1 Denmark:.......................................................................................................... 14 4.1.2 Finland: ............................................................................................................ 14 4.1.3 Iceland:............................................................................................................. 14 4.1.4 Lithuania: ......................................................................................................... 14 4.1.5 Norway:............................................................................................................ 15 4.1.6 Sweden:............................................................................................................ 15 4.2 Central European countries and Great Britain........................................................ 15 4.3. Concluding remarks:.............................................................................................. 16 5. Growth and yield........................................................................................................... 17 5.1 Growth of larch....................................................................................................... 17 5.1.1 Characteristics/differences between species and provenances: ....................... 18 5.1.2 Yield tables: ..................................................................................................... 22 5.2 Stem form................................................................................................................ 23 5.3 Branches.................................................................................................................. 24 5.4 Spiral grain.............................................................................................................. 24 5.5 Bark......................................................................................................................... 25 5.6 Heartwood development ......................................................................................... 26 5.7 Pathogens ................................................................................................................ 27 6. Wood properties............................................................................................................ 29 6.1. Physical properties................................................................................................. 29 III 6.1.1. The look/anatomy: .......................................................................................... 29 6.1.2 Density:............................................................................................................ 30 6.1.3. Shrinkage and drying properties:.................................................................... 31 6.1.4. Stability of larch wood:................................................................................... 33 6.2. Mechanical properties............................................................................................ 33 6.3. Working properties: ............................................................................................... 35 6.4 Resin and heartwood extractives: ........................................................................... 36 6.4.1. Resin: .............................................................................................................. 36 6.4.2 Heartwood extractives: .................................................................................... 36 6.5 Permeability ............................................................................................................ 38 7. Durability ...................................................................................................................... 39 7.1 Heartwood / sapwood ............................................................................................. 40 7.2. Larch in ground contact: ........................................................................................ 41 7.3 Larch above ground ................................................................................................ 42 7.4 Larch in contact with water..................................................................................... 43 7.5 Preservative treatment............................................................................................. 43 7.6 Concluding remarks................................................................................................ 44 8. Discussion..................................................................................................................... 45 8.1 Wood properties...................................................................................................... 45 8.2 Durability ................................................................................................................ 47 8.3 The present and future use of larch......................................................................... 48 Literature........................................................................................................................... 50 IV 1. Introduction During