Family: Fagaceae.
Latin Name: Fagus Sylvatica.
Origin: Central and Western Europe, the United Kingdom and Western Asia.
Common Names: European Beech, Common Beech, German Beech, French Beech, English Beech, Danish Beech.
The Tree (characteristics): European Beech is a large, graceful tree that can grow to heights of 100 to 130 feet tall with a trunk that is 3 to 5 feet in diameter. The bark is smooth and silver-gray in color.
Appearance of Wood: The sapwood is difficult to differentiate from the heartwood. The color can vary from a whitish to a pale brown, although appearing more pinkish- brown. European Beech sometimes has a dark red heart or darker veining throughout the wood. The grain is straight with a fine and even texture.
Density: European Beech is a wood with medium stiffness, high crushing strength, and a medium resistance to shock loads. Average reported specific gravity ranges from .53 to .71 with an average dried weight of 44 pounds per cubic foot. Janka Hardness is 1,450 pounds of force.
Drying and Shrinkage: European Beech dries rapidly but caution is needed throughout the drying process to avoid shrinkage and other problems. The wood has a large amount of movement while in service, movement and wood stability should be accounted for.
Working Properties: The wood glues easily, stains, dyes, and turns well. Pre-boring is recommended for screws and nails. The wood tends to have a medium blunting effect on tools.
Durability: European Beech is susceptible to insect-attack and is considered non-durable and perishable.
Uses: Kitchen cabinetry, residential and institutional furniture, high-end joinery, musical instruments, flooring, heavy construction, sporting goods, toys, bobbins, wooden-ware, tool handles, turnery, and dock work.
Availability: European Beech is widely available across Europe making up almost 50% of hardwood forests in Europe. It is considered the most available and sustainable certified hardwood in the world.