Beech (Fagus grandifolia)
Description: The sapwood is white with a red tinge, while the heartwood is light to dark reddish brown. The wood is generally straight-grained with a close uniform texture.
Main Uses: Furniture, doors, flooring, millwork, paneling, brush handles, woodenware, bending stock, toys and turnings. It is particularly suitable for food and liquid containers since there is no odor or taste.
Physical Properties: Beech is classed as heavy, hard, strong, high in resistance to shock and highly suitable for steam bending. Good resistance to abrasive wear.
Availability: Limited.
Working Properties: Beech works readily with most hard 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.
| Machining | Nailing | Screwing | Gluing | Finishing |
| Excellent | Good | Good | Poor | Excellent |
Strength and Mechanical Properties: (metric)
| Moisture Content | Green-12% |
| Specific Gravity | 0.56-0.64 |
| Static Bending: Modulus of Rupture (kPa) | 59,000-103,000 |
| Static Bending: Modulus of Elasticity (MPa) | 9,500-11,900 |
| Static Bending: Work to Maximum Load (kJ m^-3) | 82-104 |
| Impact Bending (mm) | 1,090-1,040 |
| Compression Parallel to Grain (kPa) | 24,500-50,300 |
| Compression Perpendicular to Grain (kPa) | 3,700-7,000 |
| Shear Parallel to Grain (kPa) | 8,900-13,900 |
| Tension Perpendicular to Grain (kPa) | 5,000-7,000 |
| Side Hardness (N) | 3,800-5,800 |
Sources:
Strength and Mechanical Properties Table: Wood Handbook, Wood as an Engineering Material, USDA Forest Service
All other page content: American Hardwood Information Center, Species Guide