• Honey locusts are medium-size trees found in hardwood forests ranging from Alabama north to Pennsylvania and as far west as Nebraska. This natural range has been extended by landscape plantings in other parts of the country. The tree is naturally protected by thorns and often grows wild in old pastures or other neglected areas. Trees can grow to be 100-feet tall,with trunk diameters of up to 6 feet at a height of 4 1/2 feet above ground. According to Purdue University, trees that meet saw-log quality standards are rare, limiting the amount of honey locust timber available.
  
  

Pallets

• Honey locust is a hardwood with many of the same characteristics as red oak. Both honey locust and red oak, because of the hardness of the wood, is ideal for industrial construction such as packing pallets. Oak wood is considered too valuable for such uses. Honey locust, often found in mills in small quantities and lacking established markets, is sometimes used for the lowly packing pallet.
  
  

Furniture

• Honey locust, like most hardwoods, machines well. This means the wood can be cut, planed or drilled with little splintering or cracking. For this reason the wood is sometimes used in the framework of upholstered furniture. In this application the wood is not visible. The dense wood and the high strength of the honey locust give strength to the furniture.
  
  

Custom Furniture and Cabinetry

• Honey locust has a color and grain pattern similar to red oak. Unfinished honey locust heartwood is pink, while the sap wood is white. The same stains and varnishes used on oak can be used on honey locust wood. Because it is not generally traded in the wholesale wood markets, honey locust may be found at discount prices in some mills. This makes the product ideal for small-scale professional wood shops or even hobbyists. Fine furniture, cabinetry and millwork can be made from honey locust. Woodworkers desiring to work with honey locust will have to do some research to find a source.
  
  Honey locust can also be used as a flooring if enough of the wood is acquired and is milled to the proper shape and dimensions.
  
  

Outdoor Uses

• Honey locust is considered very resistant to decay, making it useful for fence posts or fence rails. Its use outdoors is tempered by the problems with insect bore damage to sapwoods in older logs.