American Beech – Fagus grandifolia
European Beech – Fagus sylvatica
This is a great wood that has a lot of nice properties.
It has a fairly straight grain and looks kind of like scaled down oak. The sapwood is a cream white color, the heartwood is a light reddish brown. It is fine and silky with a close and even texture.
It is very hard and it’s surface can be highly polished. It cuts, sands and machines well, as well as a great screw and nail holding capability. Workable with hand tools and cuts clean with a knife blade.
One of my favorite characteristics is it’s bending capability. It takes to steam bending very well and will hold it’s shape.
.
.
.
-- Gary, East TX -- The longest journey begins with a single step.
6 comments so far
Karson
home | projects | blog
11555 posts in 791 days
posted 49 days ago
Gary one of the samples that I sent you was a wood that I called yellow Beech. You had a sample that you called yellow birch.
Can you tell if they are the same or not.?
-- Karson Southern Delaware karson_morrison@bigfoot.com
Eric
home | projects | blog
497 posts in 174 days
posted 49 days ago
Thanks for doing all this, Gary!
I was going to suggest that you put these Wood Library posts under a Series, but I guess if you have them all tagged appropriately (which you do), it’s the same difference. But if it’s under a Series it would be easier to go from one Wood Library post to the next one.
-- Eric at http://adventuresinwoodworking.com
GaryK
home | projects | blog
8183 posts in 379 days
posted 49 days ago
Eric – It is in a series kinda. Click on “Stickies” above and select “Lumberjocks Wood Library”.
That will take you to a page describing the series and the links.
-- Gary, East TX -- The longest journey begins with a single step.
Eric
home | projects | blog
497 posts in 174 days
posted 49 days ago
Oh I see! That helps. Thanks.
-- Eric at http://adventuresinwoodworking.com
Tony
home | projects | blog
520 posts in 421 days
posted 48 days ago
I use beech quite a lot here – I love the wood for its ease of working and appearance, but unfortunately, it is no so much in favoure as a wood for furniture here in Europe.
-- Tony - All things are possible, just some things are more difficult than others! - SKYPE: Heron2005 (http://www.poydatjatuolit.fi)
Andy
home | projects | blog
296 posts in 299 days
posted 47 days ago
I agree with you Gary,this is a nice wood to work with.It has been used for European work benches and tool handles,toys.etc for years.Its about as hard as Eastern Maple but I find it easier to work with.Less tearout and router burns sand out easier.Our cabinet shop typically uses Euro Steamed Red Beech,and it comes in nice straight,flat boards with very little waste, almost an S4S select grade.The color matches throughout a unit of lumber very consistantly.
We just completed a $60,000.00 cabinet job using this wood and plywood,and it came out beautiful.The finish was clear conversion varnish,so there wasnt any surprises there.(Staining can be an issue….splotches and uneven absorbtion.)
Our shop builds custom cabinets using many species of wood and this E.S.R.Beech just hasnt caught on in our area,mainly due to the fact that it is so even in color and the grain is so subtle.People in our area prefer a wood with more character.Just a personal choice.
Our distributers claim that it is very popular in other regions,partly due to its low cost and high quality.We order a “Superior” grade,straight lined and planed to 13/16’’ and we pay $2.99bft.Thats the same cost as a “Prime” grade select Eastern Red Oak,milled the same.Prices will vary from region to region and E.S.R.Beech may likely not even be available in many areas.
American Beech is a good hard wood also,but varies in color greatly.You wont mistake these two woods.
-- " Stubborn tenacity substitutes for natural ability" ANDY