The sapwood of American Beech is white with a red tinge, while the heartwood is light to dark reddish brown. American Beech tends to be slightly darker and less consistent than European Beech. The wood is generally straight grained with a close uniform texture.

BOTANICAL NAME: 

Fagus Grandifolia

ORIGIN: 

North America - Throughout the Eastern United States. Commercial concentration is in the Central and Middle Atlantic states.

COMMON NAMES: 

American Beech, Carolina Beech, Gray Beech, Red Beech, Ridge Beech, Stone Beech, White Beech, Winter Beech.

 JANKA HARDNESS:

1300

 DIMENSIONAL STABILITY:

Below Average - Change Coefficient .00431 - 17% less stable than Northern Red Oak

RELATIVE ABUNDANCE: 

Limited Availability - .4 percent of total U.S. hardwoods commercially available.

INTERESTING FACTS: 

Known as the "Mother of the Forest" for its nutrient-rich humus. Beech has a long, illustrious past. The Aryan Tribes of Asia, the earliest known people to use a written language, carved their messages into the soft, smooth pliable bark of the beech tree trunk. The writings, cut out of the bark and used intact, were called "boc," which eventually became "book."

GENERAL DESCRIPTION: 

While the sapwood of American Beech is generally pale white, the heartwood is mostly reddish brown. There is often a moderate to high color variation between  boards. The grain of the wood is straight, and mostly closed, with a fine, uniform texture. Beech wood surfaces may sometimes have a silvery sheen.

MAIN USES: 

Beech was once neglected as a resource because of the tendency of the wood to crack during air drying. Kiln drying is much more successful with this species, and so it has become more valuable. The wood is commonly used for domestic and commercial flooring, furniture, decorative veneers, and musical instruments.

PHYSICAL PROPERTIES:

Beech is frequently used in factory floors and other high-traffic areas, since it wears well and stays smooth when subjected to repeated friction. The wood is hard and elastic, with excellent shock-resistance.

WORKING PROPERTIES:

Beech works readily with most hand and machine tools. It has good nailing and gluing properties and can be stained to a good finish. The wood dries fairly rapidly but with a strong tendency to warp, split and surface check. It is subject to a high shrinkage and moderate movement in performance.