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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 Product Sources 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 Trade Name Tree Size Turning Varnishing Veneering Qualities Scientific Name Fagus grandifolia Trade Name American beech Family Name Fagaceae Common Names American beech, Beech, Canadian beech, Red beech Regions of Distribution North America Countries of Distribution  [VIEW MAP] Canada, United States Common Uses Baskets, Boxes and crates, Brush backs & handles, Cabinetmaking, Casks, Chairs, Charcoal, Chemical derivatives, Chests, Concealed parts (Furniture), Cooperages, Crossties, Decorative veneer, Desks, Dining-room furniture, Domestic flooring, Dowell pins, Dowells, Drawer sides, Drum sticks, Excelsior, Figured veneer, Fine furniture, Floor lamps, Flooring, Flooring: commercial heavy traffic, Flooring: industrial heavy traffic, Food containers, Fuelwood, Furniture , Furniture components, Furniture squares or stock, Handles: general, Hatracks, Joinery, Kitchen cabinets, Living-room suites, Millwork, Musical instruments , Office furniture, Organ pipes, Packing cases, Pallets, Paneling, Parquet flooring, Piano keys, Plywood, Pulp/Paper products, Pulpwood, Railroad ties, Sporting Goods, Textile equipment, Tool handles, Turnery, Vehicle parts, Veneer Environmental Profile Rare in parts of its natural range (population is at risk) Generally secure within its natural habitat Data source is Nature Conservancy Distribution Overview American beech is distributed from Cape Brenton Island, Nova Scotia west to Maine, southern Quebec, southern Ontario, northern Michigan, and eastern Wisconsin; south to southern Illinois, southeastern Missouri, northwestern Arkansas, southeastern Oklahoma, and eastern Texas; east to northern Florida; and northeast to southeastern South Carolina. An isolated variety (var. mexicana) occurs in the mountains of northeastern Mexico. Prefers well-drained bottomland forests and mesic upland forests. Heartwood Color Red Pink Brown Black Reddish brown Pale brown Red Whitish Sapwood Color Green/Grey Red Brown White to yellow Color not distinct from heartwood White in color Sapwood is considered narrow Pinkish Different than heartwood Grain Figure Straight Even Interlocked Growth rings (figure) Rays (figure) Generally straight, but not always Rays figure Interlocked Clear growth rings (figure) Darker flakes or flecks of highly visible rays give quartersawn surfaces an attractive appearance. Texture Brownish Medium Fine Coarse Fine Even textured Growth rings are typically thin and tiny Luster Medium High Exhibits a somewhat silvery sheen Natural Durability Susceptible to insect attack Non-durable Resistant to powder post beetles Moderately durable Perishable Durable Non-resistant to termites Non durable Moderately durable Very little natural resistance Perishable Attacked by decay causing organisms and other wood destroying insects Odor No specific smell or taste Kiln Schedules T8-C2 (4/4) T5-C1(8/4)Us Drying (speed) is fast Dry at a moderate speed Drying Defects Distortion Collapse Internal Honeycombing Possible Moderate surface checking Moderate twist/warp Moderate end spitting Ease of Drying Fairly Easy Moderately Difficult to Difficult Difficult Requires slow to moderate drying schedule. Moderate Shrinks at a higher rate than most Kiln Drying Rate Rapid Drying rate is fairly rapid to fast Tree Size Tree height is 30-40 m Trunk diameter is 100-150 cm Tree height is 40-50 m Product Sources American beech is available in large supplies at a moderate price in both lumber and veneer forms. Comments General finishing qualities are rated as good Good for food containers, backets and butcher blocks. Good shock resistance Hard and strong Blunting Effect Moderate Boring He wood is generally easy to bore but it has a tendency to char. (Percent of bored pieces with good to excellent results = 99). Cutting Resistance Easy to saw Difficult to saw Tendency to scorch during cross-cutting Gluing Fairly Easy to Very Easy Fair to Good Results Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Moderate gluing properties Satisfactory gluing properties Difficult to glue Mortising Finishes well Mortising characteristics are rated as very good. (Number of mortised pieces producing fair to excellent results = 92) Moulding Very poor (25+% of pieces will yield good to excellent results) Movement in Service Large Nailing Fairly Easy to Very Easy Fair to Good Results Very Good to Excellent Results Holds nails well Pre-boring recommended Nailing properties are poor Easy to nail Planing Planes well, to a good finish Good planing properties Easy to plane Percent of planed pieces without any machining defects = 83 Resistance to Impregnation Resistant heartwood Permeable sapwood Resistant sapwood Heartwood is permeable Heartwood is permeable Resistant Moderately resistant Heartwood is resistant Heartwood is moderately resistant Significant quantities of Beech are treated with chemical preservatives and used for railway ties Resistance to Splitting Poor Response to Hand Tools Easy to Work Easy to machine Moderate working qualities Difficult to machine Very difficult to work with hand tools Sanding Poor sanding properties Screwing Fairly Easy to Very Easy Screwing yields good results Responds poorly (Percent of pieces free from splitting - 58) Turning Fairly Easy to Very Easy Good results Easy to turn Responds readily to turning operations Veneering Qualities Suitable for peeling Veneers easily Suitable for slicing Veneers moderately easy No drying degrade There is slight to moderate drying degrade and the potential for buckles and splits Moderately easy to veneer Steam Bending Poor to Very Poor Results Fair to Good Results Unsuitable Good Very good Percent of unbroken steam-bent samples = 75 Painting Satisfactory results Good results Polishing Fair to Good Results Very Good to Excellent Results Satisfactory results Staining Fair to Good Results Very Good to Excellent Results Stains very well Finish is generally satisfactory Finish is generally satisfactory Can be stained to match other hardwoods. Varnishing Good results Strength Properties Density (dry weight) = 46-52 lbs/cu. ft. Bending strength (MOR) = medium Shrinkage, Tangential = large Hardness (side grain) = very soft Shrinkage, Radial = moderate Shrinkage, Radial = fairly large Max. crushing strength = low Hardness (side grain) = soft Bending strength (MOR) = low Numerical Data Item Green Dry English Bending Strength 9023 14673 psi Crushing Strength 578 1083 psi Density 47 lbs/ft3 Hardness 951 lbs Impact Strength 47 41 inches Maximum Crushing Strength 3659 6803 psi Shearing Strength 1962 psi Static Bending 4116 8428 psi Stiffness 1396 1726 1000 psi Work to Maximum Load 10 14 inch-lbs/in3 Specific Gravity 0.51 0.62 Weight 47 46 lbs/ft3 Radial Shrinkage 4 % Tangential Shrinkage 10 % Volumetric Shrinkage 17 % Item Green Dry Metric Bending Strength 634 1031 kg/cm2 Crushing Strength 40 76 kg/cm2 Density 753 kg/m3 Hardness 431 kg Impact Strength 119 104 cm Maximum Crushing Strength 257 478 kg/cm2 Shearing Strength 137 kg/cm2 Static Bending 289 592 kg/cm2 Stiffness 98 121 1000 kg/cm2 Work to Maximum Load 0.70 0.98 cm-kg/cm3 Specific Gravity 0.51 0.62 Weight 753 737 kg/m3 Radial Shrinkage 4 % Tangential Shrinkage 10 % References Banks, C.H. and J.P. Schoeman. 1963. Railway Sleeper and Crossing Timbers. Bulletin No. 41, Republic of South Africa. The Government Printer, Pretoria, South Africa. Banks, C.H., Schoeman, J.P., Otto, K.P.,1977,The Mechanical Properties of Timbers with particular reference to South,Africa,South African Forestry Research Institute Bulletin,(Ed.,Schoeman, J.P. 1973 & Otto K.P. 1976,No.48 Boone, R.S., C.J. Kozlik, P.J. Bois, E.M. Wengert. 1988. Dry Kiln Schedules for Commercial Hardwoods - Temperate and Tropical. USDA, Forest Service, General Technical Report FPL-GTR-57, Forest Products Laboratory, Madison, Wisconsin. 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 California Department of Forestry. Comparative Physical & Mechanical Properties of Western & Eastern Hardwoods. Prepared by Forest Products Laboratory, University of California at Berkeley, Berkeley, California. n/d. 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. Carpenter, R.D.,1974,American Woods - American Beech,USDA, Forest Service American Woods FS-220 Clifford, N.,1957,Timber Identification for the Builder and Architect,Leonard Hill (Books) LTD. London Harrar, E.S.,1942,Some Physical Properties of Modern Cabinet Woods 3. Directional and Volume,Shrinkage,Tropical Woods,9(71, pp26-32 Howard, A.L.,1948,A Manual of Timbers of the World.,Macmillan & Co. Ltd. London 3rd ed. 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, J. Wood of the Month. Beech - American Beech and its Relative. Wood and Wood Products, March, 1991. Page 38. Kline, M. 1982. fagus grandifolia - American beech. In A Guide to Useful Woods of the World, Flynn Jr., J.H., Editor. King Philip Publishing Co., Portland, Maine. Page 158-159. Little, E.L. 1980. The Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Trees - Eastern Region. Published by Arthur A. Knopf. 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 NWFA. 1994. Wood Species Used in Wood Flooring. Technical Publication No. A200, National Wood Flooring Association, Manchester, MO. Panshin, A.J. and C. deZeeuw. Textbook of Wood Technology. McGraw-Hill Series in Forest Resources. McGraw-Hill Book Company, New York. Rendle, B.J.,1969,World Timbers (3 Vols.,Ernest Benn Ltd. London 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.