BEECH WOOD

THE TREE

BEECH WOOD IS A NORTHERN TEMPERATE WOOD, RIVALLING OAK IN MIDDLE EAST AS THE MOST COMMONLY USED HARDWOOD AND SHIPPED IN LARGE QUANTITIES FROM ROMANIA AND BALKANS COUNTRIES. EUROPEAN BEECH, IS A MEDIUM-SIZED TO LARGE TREE, 30m OR MORE IN HEIGHT OFTEN FORMING DENSE STANDS IN WHICH ITS CYLINDRICAL BOLE IS BEST DEVELOPED.

THE WOOD

BEECH WOOD IS A WHITE OR PALE-BROWN WOOD, SOMETIMES STEAMED TO A PINKISH COLOR. IT HAS A CONSPICUOUS GROWTH-RING FIGURE ON FLAT OR ROTARY-CUT SURFACES AND ON QUARTERED SURFACES A CHARACTERISTIC FLECK DUE TO ITS MEDIUM-SIZED RAYS. IT IS TYPICALLY STRAIGHT-GRAINED, WITH A FINE, EVEN TEXTURE, AND IS OF MEDIUM, THOUGH VARIABLE, WEIGHT.


TECHNICAL PROPERTIES

BEECH DRIES READILY, THOUGH TENDING TO DISTORT; WHEN DRY, IT MOVES APPRECIABLY IN CHANGING CONDITIONS OF HUMIDITY. THE WOOD, PARTICULARLY THAT GROWN IN NORTHERN EUROPE, IS STRONG, BUT WORKS EASILY, TAKES A GOOD FINISH, AND TURNS ESPECIALLY WELL. IT CAN BE STEAM-BENT AND IS ROTARY-PEELED TO GIVE AN EXCELLENT VENEER. BEECH IS PERISHABLE AND UNSUITABLE FOR OUTDOOR USE UNLESS IT HAS BEEN SUBJECTED TO PRESERVATIVE TREATMENT.

USES

BEECH IS AN OUTSTANDING FURNITURE WOOD, AND USED ESPECIALLY FOR THE TURNED AND BENT MEMBERS OF CHAIRS. IT IS ALSO USED FOR DOMESTIC PURPOSES, FOR KITCHEN UTENSILS, FOR THE HANDLES OF TOOLS AND BRUSHES, AND FOR TOYS; IT MAKES A HARD-WEARING DOMESTIC FLOOR.


 SOFT WOODS: