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Clicking any heading in the main data area (at right) will scroll the page back to this top position. Use the following links to jump to the associated section in the main data. Blunting Effect Boring Comments Common Names Common Uses Countries of Distribution Cutting Resistance Distribution Overview Drying Defects Ease of Drying Environmental Profile Family Name Gluing Grain Heartwood Color Kiln Drying Rate Kiln Schedules Luster Mortising Moulding Movement in Service Nailing Natural Durability Numerical Data Odor Painting Planing Polishing References Regions of Distribution Resistance to Impregnation Resistance to Splitting Response to Hand Tools Sanding Sapwood Color Scientific Name Screwing Staining Steam Bending Strength Properties Texture Toxicity Trade Name Tree Identification Tree Size Turning Veneering Qualities Scientific Name Betula papyrifera Trade Name Paper birch Family Name Betulaceae Common Names American birch, American white birch, Birch, Black birch, Canadian white birch, Canoe birch, Kenai birch, Kenai paper birch, Paper birch, Paper canoe, Red birch, Silver birch, Western paper birch, Western white birch, White birch Regions of Distribution North America Countries of Distribution  [VIEW MAP] Canada, United States Common Uses Agricultural implements, Boxes and crates, Broom handles, Brush backs & handles, Building materials, Butcher blocks, Cabinetmaking, Canoes, Casks, Chairs, Chests, Concealed parts (Furniture), Cooperages, Cutting surfaces, Decorative veneer, Desks, Dining-room furniture, Dowell pins, Dowells, Drawer sides, Drum sticks, Figured veneer, Fine furniture, Floor lamps, Flooring, Fuelwood, Furniture , Furniture components, Furniture squares or stock, Furniture, Handles: general, Hardwood distillation, Hatracks, Interior construction, Kitchen cabinets, Living-room suites, Mathematical instruments, Musical instruments , Musical instruments, Office furniture, Organ pipes, Packing cases, Paneling , Piano keys, Pianos , Plywood, Pulp/Paper products, Radio - stereo - TV cabinets, Railroad ties, Rustic furniture, Sounding boards, Stools, Tables , Textile equipment, Toothpicks, Toys, Turnery, Utility furniture, Veneer Environmental Profile Widespread Likely rare at the periphery of its range Globally secure Data source is Nature Conservancy Abundant Distribution Overview Paper birch has a transcontinental distribution across northern North America. It grows from Newfoundland and Labrador west along the northern limit of tree growth across Canada to northwestern Alaska, south to Washington, east and north in the mountains to western Montana and southwestern Alberta, east across the Prairie Provinces to Manitoba, and south and east through the Lake States to New England. Scattered outlying populations occur in the Great Plains of Montana and North Dakota, the Black Hills, the Appalachian Mountains from central New York to western North Carolina, and the Front Range of Colorado Heartwood Color Brown Yellow Purple Red Orange White to cream Reddish brown Pale brown Dark brown Brownish central core Brown Sapwood Color White Yellow White to yellow Grain Straight Even Straight A natural attractive figure makes birch a very desirable timber for furniture. Texture Coarse Medium Fine Uniform Luster Medium Natural Durability Very durable Durable Resistant to marine borers Resistant to termites Susceptible to insect attack Resistant to powder post beetles Non durable Very little natural resistance Susceptible to attack from powder post (Lyctid & Bostrychid) beetles Perishable Moderately durable Odor No specific smell or taste Toxicity Some toxic effects Kiln Schedules UK=H US=T10D4S/T8D3S Fr=7 UK=G US=T8B3/T5B1 T8 - C3 (8/4) US T10 - C4 (4/4) Dry at a slow speed Dry at a moderate speed Drying Defects Checking Distortion Chemical brown stains Ease of Drying Moderately Difficult to Difficult Fairly Easy Easy Moderate Kiln Drying Rate Drying rate is fairly rapid to fast Tree Identification Bole/stem form is cylindrical Bole/stem form is not buttressed Tree Size Trunk diameter is 100-150 cm Tree height is 40-50 m Tree height is 30-40 m Tree height is 20-30 m Bole length is 10-20 m Comments General finishing qualities are rated as good General finishing qualities are rated as satisfactory Blunting Effect High to severe Blunting effect on machining is moderate Boring Very good results Bored holes tend to be smooth and uniform in size Cutting Resistance Easy to saw Gluing Fairly Easy to Very Easy Easy to glue Moderate gluing properties Good properties Carefully controlled conditions required Under properly controlled conditions, Paper birch is reported to bond to produce joints of good strength. Darker colored glues are reported to produce conspicuous glue lines because the wood is lighter colored and also porous. Mortising Exceptional mortising properties Moulding He wood responds poorly to moulding operations, and surfaces tend to be rough. (Percent of moulded pieces yeilding good to excellent results out of 100 samples = 22). Movement in Service Stable Nailing Holds nails well Pre-boring recommended Good resistance to splitting while nailing Planing Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Requires reduced cutting angle Fair planing properties Planing properties are only fair, and the wood tend to chip and tear. A reduced cutting angle of 20 to 25 percent has been recommended for best results. (Percent of planed pieces without any machining defects = 47) Resistance to Impregnation Permeable heartwood Permeable sapwood Heartwood is moderately resistant Resistance to Splitting Poor Response to Hand Tools Fairly Difficult to Difficult to Work Easy to Work Easy to machine Moderate working qualities Sanding Difficult to sand Screwing Possible if prebored Turning Fairly Easy to Very Easy Good results Easy to turn Very good Veneering Qualities No drying degrade. Dries flat without splitting Moderately easy to veneer Easy to cut Steam Bending Moderate Good Painting Very Good to Excellent Results Fair to Good Results Polishing Fair to Good Results Very Good to Excellent Results Polishes well without grain filling Staining Finish is generally good Dyes and clear stains are preferable to heavily pigmented finishes, since the latter tends to give the wood a muddy appearance. Surface scratching is a common problem. Strength Properties Density (dry weight) = 38-45 lbs/cu. ft. Bending strength (MOR) = low Shearing strength (parallel to grain) = very low Max. crushing strength = medium Hardness (side grain) = soft Max. crushing strength = low Hardness (side grain) = very soft Density (dry weight) = 31-37 lbs/cu. ft. Work to Maximum Load = very low Toughness-Hammer drop (impact strength) = medium Shrinkage, Tangential = fairly large Shrinkage, Radial = large Shearing strength (parallel to grain) = low Resists denting and marring Modulus of Elasticity (stiffness) = very low Modulus of Elasticity (stiffness) = low Heavy Crushing strength = medium Bending strength (MOR) = high Numerical Data Item Green Dry English Bending Strength 6318 11042 psi Crushing Strength 588 265 psi Density 38 lbs/ft3 Hardness 824 lbs Impact Strength 48 37 inches Maximum Crushing Strength 2724 5476 psi Shearing Strength 1141 psi Stiffness 1191 1500 1000 psi Work to Maximum Load 13 15 inch-lbs/in3 Specific Gravity 0.43 0.5 Weight 38 30 lbs/ft3 Radial Shrinkage 6 % Tangential Shrinkage 8 % Volumetric Shrinkage 16 % Item Green Dry Metric Bending Strength 444 776 kg/cm2 Crushing Strength 41 18 kg/cm2 Density 608 kg/m3 Hardness 373 kg Impact Strength 121 93 cm Maximum Crushing Strength 191 385 kg/cm2 Shearing Strength 80 kg/cm2 Stiffness 83 105 1000 kg/cm2 Work to Maximum Load 0.91 1.05 cm-kg/cm3 Specific Gravity 0.43 0.5 Weight 608 480 kg/m3 Radial Shrinkage 6 % Tangential Shrinkage 8 % References Boone, R.S., C.J. Kozlik, P.J. Bois and E.M. Wengert. 1988. Dry Kiln Schedules for Commercial Woods: Temperate and Tropical. United States Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Forest Products Laboratory, General Technical Report FPL-GTR-57, Madison, Wisconsin. Brisbin, R.L. and Sonderman, D.L.,1973,American Woods - Birch,USDA, Forest Service American Woods FS-221 Brown, H.P. and Panshin, A.J.,1940,Commercial Timbers of the United States Their structure, identification,,properties and uses,McGraw-Hill, London Brown, W.H.,1978,Timbers of the World: - No.7 North America,TRADA Canadian Forestry Service. 1981. Canadian Woods - Their Properties and Uses. Third Edition. E.J. Mullins and T.S. McKnight, Editors. Published by University of Toronto Press, Toronto, Canada. Clifford, N.,1957,Timber Identification for the Builder and Architect,Leonard Hill (Books) LTD. London Farmer, R.H.,1972,Handbook of Hardwoods,HMSO Forest Products Research Laboratory, U.K.,1945,A Handbook of Empire Timbers,Department of Scientific and Industrial Research Forest Products Research Forests Products Research Laboratory, U.K.,1956,A Handbook of Hardwoods,Forest Products Research Laboratory, Princes Risborough, Department of,Science and Industrial Research, Building Research Establishment HMSO, 1981. Handbook of Hardwoods, 2nd Edition. Revised by R.H. Farmer. Department of the Environment, Building Research Establishment, Princes Risborough Laboratory, Princes Risborough, Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire I.U.F.R.O.,1973,Veneer Species of the World,Assembled at F.P.L. Madison on behalf of I.U.F.R.O. Working Party on,Slicing and Veneer Cutting Jackson, A. and D. Day. 1991. Good Wood Handbook - The Woodworker's Guide to Identifying, Selecting and Using the Right Wood. Betterway Publications, Cincinnati, Ohio. Kaiser, Jo-ann. Wood of the Month: American Beech - A Furniture Favorite. Wood and Wood Products, February, 1993. Page 30. Kloot, N. H. and E. Bolza. 1961. Properties of Timbers Imported into Australia. Technological Paper No. 12. Division of Forest Products, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Organization, Melbourne, Australia. Kloot, N.H., Bolza, E.,1961,Properties of Timbers Imported into Australia,C.S.I.R.O. Forest Products Division Technological Paper,No.12 Little E.L. 1980. The Audobon Society Field Guide to North American Trees - Western Region. Published by Arthur A. Knopf, New York. Markwardt, L.J., Wilson, T.R.C.,1935,Strength and related properties of woods grown in the United States,U.S.A. Department of Agriculture Technical Bulletin,No.479 Mullins, E.J. and McKnight, T.S.,1981,Canadian Woods Their Properties and Uses,University of Toronto Press 3rd Edition Niemiec, S.S., G.A. Ahrens, S. Willits, and D.E. Hibbs. March, 1995. Hardwoods of the Pacific Northwest. Oregon State University, College of Forestry, Research Contribution 8, Forest Research Laboratory, Department of Forest Products, Corvallis, Oregon. Panshin, A.J. and C. deZeeuw. Textbook of Wood Technology. McGraw-Hill Series in Forest Resources. McGraw-Hill Book Company, New York. Patterson, D.,1988,Commercial Timbers of the World, 5th Edition,Gower Technical Press Pearson, R.S., Brown, H.P.,1932,Commercial Timbers of India,Govt. Printer Calcutta,2 vols Record, S.J., Hess, R.W.,1943,Timbers of the New World,Yale University Press Rendle, B.J.,1969,World Timbers (3 Vols.,Ernest Benn Ltd. London Timber Development Association Ltd.,1955,World Timbers (3 Vols.,Timber Development Association Ltd. Titmuss, F.H.,1965,Commercial Timbers of the World,Technical Press Ltd., London, 3rd edition U.S.D.A. Forest Service,1974,Wood Handbook,U.S.A. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service Handbook,72 USDA. 1987. Wood Handbook: Wood as an Engineering Material. Agriculture Handbook No. 72. United States Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Madison, Wisconsin. USDA. 1988. Dry Kiln Operators Manual, Preliminary Copy. Forest Service, Forest Products Laboratory, Madison, Wisconsin. Western Wood Products Association. 19__. Woods of the Western USA. Published and distributed by the Western Wood Products Association, Yeon Building, 522 S.W. Fifth Avenue, Portland, Oregon.