<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0306</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2018-02-20</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>1</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0001022469</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>DELTIC TIMBER CORP</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>DEL</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001390193</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Tudor Robert B III</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>210 E. ELM STREET</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>EL DORADO</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>AR</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>71730</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2018-02-20</value>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </transactionDate>
            <deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>D</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>13406</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0.00</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>0</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">On February 20, 2018, Deltic Timber Corporation (&quot;Deltic&quot;), Potlatch Corporation (&quot;Potlatch&quot;), and Portland Merger LLC completed the merger (&quot;Merger&quot;) contemplated by the Agreement and Plan of Merger among such parties dated as of October 22, 2017 (the &quot;Merger Agreement&quot;).</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">Disposed of pursuant to the Merger Agreement in which each share of Deltic common stock issued and outstanding immediately prior to the consummation of the Merger was converted into 1.8 shares of Potlatch common stock with cash paid in lieu of fractional shares.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <remarks></remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Jim F. Andrews, Jr., Attorney-in-Fact for Robert B. Tudor, III</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2018-02-20</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
