Origin North America

About Beech Wood

Top portion is finished with water-base finish!
The bottom portion with oil-based finish

Beech is typically a pale cream color, sometimes with a pink or brown hue. Veneer tends to be slightly darker colored, as slicing the veneer usually requires the wood to be prepared with steam, which gives the wood a more golden tone. (See scan below.) Flatsawn surfaces tend to be very plain, while quartersawn surfaces exhibit a silvery fleck pattern.

Mostly closed, straight grain; fine, uniform texture. Coarser than European beach.

Within Species And Grades: Only one species is native to the United States. Moderate to high color variation between boards.
More About Beech
Uses

Lumber, veneer, flooring, crates/pallets, railroad ties, musical instruments, furniture, turned objects, and other small wooden objects.
Workability Overall good workability; it machines well, and glues, finishes, and turns well. Beech also responds superbly to steam-bending. It does, however, have a large amount of movement in service, so movement and wood stability must be taken into account.
Allergies/Toxicity: Although there is no confirmed safety data on American Beech, the closely related European Beech (Fagus sylvatica) has been reported as a sensitizer. Usually most common reactions from this related species include eye, skin, and respiratory irritation. See the articles Wood Allergies and Toxicity and Wood Dust Safety for more information.
DISTRIBUTION Eastern United States
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