The European lime is a soft, white, even-textured wood. The annual ring is fairly distinct, but the medullary ray is rarely visible. The wood is plain, but, being very reliable and not apt to warp, is much used by carvers. It is sometimes, therefore, called the carver's tree.

The timber of the American lime is called bass-wood, and is of a yellow-brownish colour, and sometimes quite green.

The annual ring is fairly distinct, and the medullary rays are small, numerous, and very clear.

This wood, in seasoning, loses a large amount of moisture, and consequently shrinks greatly, warping somewhat at the same time.

It is durable in the dry, but if exposed to a moist atmosphere absorbs moisture very rapidly, and swells to such an extent as to destroy any work of which it forms part.

This wood is fairly cheap, and, owing to the ease with which it can be worked, is recommended for manual instruction. The green-coloured wood is the best for this purpose.