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BIRCH HARDWOOD IDENTIFICATION GUIDE
BIRCH
Birch’s durability and workability is well known, and it has been used for making furniture, cabinetry, and interior doors since colonial America. Today, it still remains one of the main furniture woods in the United States. Birch veneer is also very popular. Its toughness also makes it suitable for use in heavy-use wood products like tool handles. [2,3]
Birch wood performs well when machining. All species of birch experience significant shrinkage during the drying process, and care must be taken when kiln drying to avoid warping and checking of birch lumber. [2,3]
Birch has a straight grain pattern, and a fine texture. Woodworkers are quick to note that yellow birch sands and polishes very well, but staining and painting can cause blotches to appear if a penetrating sealer has not been applied first. Birch is often difficult to glue, so synthetic adhesives should be used rather than natural glues. Pre-drilling is recommended when nailing or screwing.
Birch can be found growing over much of the continent of North America, but is most commonly found around the Great Lakes, New Hampshire and throughout New England. Birch trees notably prefer cooler regions with more rainfall. Its growing region extends south into the Appalachian Mountains into northern Georgia, and north into southern Ontario and Quebec.
Birch is known as a “pioneer species”, meaning they are one of the first species to colonize a newly-created environment, such as after a forest fire. The birch tree grows to a medium size, around 60-80 feet and 2-3 feet in diameter. [3,5]
All data derives from Forest Inventory Data Online (FIDO), a component of the U.S. Forest Service Inventory and Analysis Program (FIA). Data was compiled by AHEC in January 2016 using the most recent state inventory available (2014 for most states). "Forest volume" refers to "net volume of live trees on forest land," as defined by FIA (see glossary). FIA forest volume data is available for 49 U.S. states (Hawaii and Washington D.C. are omitted) with total hardwood forest volume of 18.1 billion m3 of which 13.5 billion m3are commercially significant.
Baird Brothers Fine Hardwoods is happy to assist with any questions you have about our Birch products, which include a variety of birch rough lumber, birch plywood, and other items.
Please call 1-800-732-1697 or Contact Us if you need help with our extensive inventory.
Source: The Department of Agriculture's Wood Handbook
*Data is based on a moisture content of 12%.
Impact Bending — In the impact bending test, a hammer of given weight is dropped upon a beam from successively increased heights until rupture occurs or the beam deflects 152 mm (6 in.) or more. The height of the maximum drop, or the drop that causes failure, is a comparative value that represents the ability of wood to absorb s hocks that cause stresses beyond the proportional limit.
Janka Hardness — Defined as resistance to indentation using a modified Janka hardness test, measured by the load required to embed a 11.28-mm (0.444-in) ball to one-half its diameter. Values presented are the average of radial and tangential penetrations.
Modulus of Elasticity — Elasticity implies that deformations produced by low stress are completely recoverable after loads are removed. When loaded to higher stress levels, plastic deformation or failure occurs.
Specific Gravity - A measure of the ratio of a wood's density as compared to water. If a wood species had the same density as water, the specific gravity would be 1.00.