Beech is one of the lightest and smoothest hardwood species. It is of course, very versatile, flexible, and durable and can be used for years with proper care. Beechwood is mainly used for furniture, toys, pianos, and basketball court floors. An advantage of this wood is that it can be adapted to any shape and style. Beechwood is also an odorless wood, so it is recommended to use beech wood furniture in the living room and bedroom. Discover a Guide on the Usage and Advantages of the Beech Timber Wood
Uses of beech timber wood
A Guide on the Usage and Advantages of the Beech Timber Wood is a showcase of how much value the wood has. Beechwood is generally good firewood because it is fragile and can burn for hours with a gentle, bright flame. Due to its medium to high strength, beech wood is popular with craftsmen and furniture makers because it produces beautiful furniture products in bright colors that easily blend into any color scheme.
One of the greatest qualities of beech wood is its odorless nature which makes it ideal for bedroom furniture, especially if you don’t like the smell of wood. In ancient times when the Indo-Europeans used the bark of beech trees for religious purposes, the very attractive use of beech trees was already observable. Back in the day, beech tablets were used as writing materials in Germanic society before the development of the paper.
Properties of beech timber wood
When compared to white oak which has a medium compressive strength, Beech has better mechanical properties and is superior in steam bending. White oak is harder than beech with a Janka hardness of 1350 as opposed to 1300. However, beech is harder than red oak which has a Janka hardness of only 1220.
Overall, beech wood has good workability. It is well machined, sticks, manufactured, and spins well. Beech also responds well to steam bending. However, due to a large amount of movement during use, movement and wood stability must be considered.
Types of beech timber wood
The beech tree is a deciduous plant belonging to the family Fagaceae. These trees are composed of some interesting features that are relatively unique and distinguish them from other deciduous trees. Beech is also considered one of the most magnificent and notable tree species in a natural landscape. The popular types of beech wood include;
Weeping beech
This tree is a type of common beech, especially characterized by overhanging and spreading branches. The tree reaches an average height of 25 meters, which occupies about 82 feet, and has “hanging” branches that cover most of the trunk.
This type of beech was first developed in England in 1836 and further introduced in the United States in 1847.
Weeping beech bark is generally very smooth in texture and is dark gray silver in color. Bark makes these trees a popular choice for forest graffiti. Due to its hardness and load-bearing capacity, this beech deformation is often used in furniture construction and also in railroad tracks.
European beech
A popular name for this beech name is “common beech”, for good reason. It is one of the most common beech species most likely to be found almost anywhere in the world. Growing naturally in Denmark, Sweden, and southern Norway, the wood from this tree is considered to be the most useful of all beech wood.
This type of beech typically reaches about 80-130 feet in height and 3-5 feet in diameter. The average life expectancy of these trees is 200 years, and it takes about 30 years to reach full maturity.
European beech wood is an integral part of the wood industry in the European market and is widely used in a variety of products such as furniture, stairs, flooring, cabinets, veneers, and upholstery. European beech hardwood is commonly referred to as “multipurpose”. This is because the wood has many uses. It works very smoothly and can be pasted and finished. As for the color, this beech is mottled and bright creamed, but the sawn wood may have a brownish-red tint on the wood.
American beech
American beech is the only beech species native to North America and is one of the most famous species alongside common beech. Some other common names for trees are North American beech, red beech, and Carolina beech.
American beech trees typically grow to a height of 75 feet but can reach up to 120 feet in jungle conditions. They can live up to 400 years and grow on different soil types, but generally prefer moist soils.
American beech trees tend to be slightly darker and less uniform than European beech trees. The heartwood of this tree is light to dark reddish brown, and the sapwood is all white and reddish. The wood is generally fine-textured, has a uniform texture, and has moderate compressive and bending strength.
Copper beech
This is a more visually appealing variety of beech varieties with dark burgundy or silky purple leaves instead of shiny green leaves. The interesting thing about copper beech is that it first appeared in various parts of Europe in the 15th century as a natural mutation of common beech.
This tree grows to an average height of more than 40 cm, has a light gray bark, and may show slight horizontal depressions.
Copper beech wood is used for a variety of purposes such as sporting goods, furniture, fuel, cookware, and tool handles. Wood burns so well that it was traditionally used for smoking herring. The bark of this species is fairly smooth, light gray, and often wrinkled.
Japanese beech
This type of beech tree, as the name implies, is commonly found in Japanese forests. Trees reach an average height of 35 meters. It has a round crown with smooth gray bark. The leaves of this species are simply placed along the branches with wind-pollinated flowers.
Japanese beech wood is easy to steam and bend, making it very easy to use on curved parts of furniture such as chairs and tables. It is also ideal for flooring and various things such as tool handles and bowls. Due to its excellent flammability, it is often used as firewood.
Tri-color beech
Tricolor beech is a common beech cultivation form and is also native to Europe. A color-accented tree with white, green, and pink variegated leaves, it requires abundant soil and sufficient moisture to grow and spread.
This tree reaches an average height of 30 feet and a width of 20 feet. It grows very slowly but can grow up to 120 years or more under ideal growth conditions.
This tree is more commonly used because of its attractiveness because its uniquely colored leaves are purple and have various pale pink shades. Therefore, when viewed from a distance, the color looks like a purplish-pink shade and looks stunning. Tricolor beach wood is often used for certain wooden furniture and household items, but more commonly for firewood.
Fern-leaf beech
This is a medium-sized tree, ideal for feature trees and parklands. As the name suggests, it has soft, fern-like long, narrow leaves. The bark of the tree is silky smooth and gray, but it is very different from other variations.
Fern leaf beech has an average height of 50-80 feet and a width of 40-45 feet. The most notable and attractive feature of this tree is its long, dark green, and deeply serrated leaves which help give the tree the title of “majestic tree”. The shiny green leaves turn into shimmering bronze during the fall season.
This wonderful wood is often used as firewood, but some people only use it as a decoration for gardens and parks.
Oriental beech
This is a deciduous tree of the family Fagaceae, which grows naturally in West Asia, Eurasia, and Eastern Europe. It is known to be a fairly large tree, with an average height of 148 feet. This is equivalent to 45 m and has a trunk diameter of 9.8 feet. Oriental beech has very simple leaves and long, thin buds.
Oriental beech trees are very strong, heavy, hard, and very impact resistant. These are some important properties and qualities that make this wood very suitable for steam bending. This wood is also widely used for other purposes such as firewood, furniture, railroad tiles, paper, veneer flooring, and building boards.
Disadvantages and advantages of beech timber wood
There are many advantages to using beech furniture, some of which are:
Hardness: Beech wood furniture products are extremely rigid and durable compared to other wooden furniture products.
Impact resistance: Beechwood absorbs impact and is therefore also frequently used on hard floors.
Low maintenance: This type of furniture product requires less maintenance than other hardwoods.
Elegant appearance: Beech wood furniture products have a glossy appearance, adding more charm and charm to the decoration of the house.
Besides a Guide on the Usage and Advantages of the Beech Timber Wood, there are a few factors worth noting which make this wood inconvenient for certain usage.
The disadvantages of beech furniture are:
Heaviness: Beech furniture is very heavy because it is very dense and makes the work of beech very difficult.
Water absorbance: This type of furniture product absorbs a large amount of water and cannot be used outdoors.
Expensive: Beech wood furniture products are considerably more expensive than other wooden furniture products.
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