Beech

Origin and availability

Beech is a wood from the temperate zone of the northern hemisphere, in Europe competing with oak – both being the most commonly used woods – also with commercial interest in Japan and the Atlantic United States. The European species, Fagus sylvatica, forms medium or large trees over 30m tall, which often form dense beech forests of well-developed trunks.

Description of the wood

It is a white or pale brown wood which sometimes has a pinkish tint. On surfaces cut with rotary saws and those sawn tangentially, there is a pattern where the growth rings are clearly visible, and in quarter-sawn pieces there is a characteristic dotting due to their radii of medium dimensions. It typically has a straight fibre and grain, a fine, uniform texture and a medium, although variable weight.

The wood rays are visible with the naked eye in the tangential section, with irregular distribution. The growth rings are evenly distinguished, with the spring area being wider and lighter in colour than that of the summer.