Steamed Beech

Durability:

The timber is perishable, liable to attack by common furniture beetle and by death watch beetle in old buildings. Sapwood is affected by longhorn beetle. The timber is permeable for preservation treatment.

Mechanical Properties:

The steam bending properties are exceptionally good, even tolerant of knots and irregular grain. It has medium stiffness, high crushing strength and medium resistance to shock loads.

Seasoning:

European Beech dries fairly rapidly, but is classed as moderately refractory tending to warp, check, split and shrink. Care needed in air drying and kilning to avoid shrinkage. When dry there is a large movement in service.

Uses:

  • Cabinetmaking, high-class joinery, solid and laminated furniture, desks and work benches, chairmaking, sportsware, woodware, tool handles, turnery, musical instruments, domestic flooring, heavy construction, marine piling, corestock and utility plywood
  • Sliced veneers have an excellent flecked figure on quartered surfaces and broad rays on longitudinal surfaces, and are used for decorative veneering
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Description

European Beech’s heartwood is very pale pink-brown. It is common practice on the continent to steam the timber which turns it to a reddish-brown tone. Some logs have a dark red kern or darker veining. Beech has a straight grain and fine, even texture. Average weight 720 kg/m³ (45 lb/ft³); specific gravity .72.

Additional information

Latin Name

Fagus sylvatica, L.

Family Name

Fagaceae

Distribution

Throughout central Europe and UK.

Also know as

English, Danish, French, etc., according to country of origin

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