Quick Facts

• Geographic Areas: North America 
• Characteristics Of Tree: HARDWOOD. Considered a small tree (approximately 50' in height). Diameter of trunk is approximately 1' 8".
• Characteristics Of Wood: Considered to be a heavy, hard and strong specie. Highly shock resistant and adaptable towards stem-bending. Has large shrinkage characteristics, so must use careful drying procedures (wood dries fairly quickly and does have tendency to warp, split and surface check). Decays quickly if exposed to moisture, but can be modified with preservatives.
• Workability: Easy to work with, machines smoothly. Excellent for turning, wears and glues well. Highly adaptable to stem-bending. Responds well when treated with preservatives. Tendency to scorch when cross-cutting or drilling.
• Common Uses: Flooring, bentwood furniture, cabinet-making, doors, veneer wooden-ware, interior joinery and turnery.

Beech 

Specie: Beech, American (Fagus grandifolia)  

Other Names: European Beech 

Grain: A straight-grained wood with a close, uniform texture. Color can vary from a reddish-brown heartwood to a near white sapwood (with a red tinge). Sometimes demarcation between heartwood and sapwood is very minimal. American Beech tends to be slightly darker and less consistent than European beech. Cathedrals and similar graining are not as distinctive as other species. 

Finishes: Responds well to staining. Able to polish down to a fine finish. Standard materials can be used to achieve positive results. Species is not advisable when a strong "wood grain" look is desired.

Similar Species / Alternatives: American Soft Maple, Poplar.  

Preferred Veneer Cuts / Styles: Plain sliced.