Why Use Balsa Wood in Your Crafts

Balsa wood is light and soft but very strong because the cells of the wood are big and very thin walled. This then makes the ratio of solid matter to open space very small. Woods typically have a gooey cement, called lignin, holding the cells together.

Balsa wood is so light it can be easily cut and shaped with hand tools, sanding blocks and X-Acto style blades. Balsa wood is the most popular choice for toy airplanes and helicopters. It is extremely light, while maintaining a good level of solidity. Balsa wood is also used to make very light, stiff structures in model bridge tests.

Balsa wood does have a grain, so consumers should be aware of what type of cut they need for a specific project. Some balsa wood is cut across the grain, which makes it suitable for carving but not for weight-bearing designs. Balsa wood is often considered the strongest wood in the world, for its weight. Pound for pound it is stronger in some respects than pine, hickory, or even oak.

Balsa wood gets its great strength from its vascular system, a network of tiny tubes which transport nutrients and water throughout the tree. Balsa wood is also a little fragile, as I'm sure you have noticed. It is also the strongest practical material for its weight and therefore continues as the most popular model building material.

Balsa wood is a good wood for beginning projects because it is easy to manipulate. Balsa wood gliders are cheap, unbelievably light and easy to assemble.

Sheet balsa always needs to be trued if you need it to have a straight edge, because many pieces have a large amount of curve. Sheets are cut in the entire wide range of density.

Crafters and hobbyists will find balsa very easy to cut and carve, making it ideal for a multitude of projects. It can also be painted or stained any color the hobbyist desires.