European Beech

European Beech (Fagus sylvatica)

Colour: Unsteamed: Whitish or pale-brown. Steamed: Reddish brown.

Weight: Approx 720 kg/m3.

Uses:

Traditionally, the most popular timber for furniture components in the UK, especially in the manufacture of chairs and tables. It can move in response to atmospheric changes and this factor, together with its low resistance to decay, renders it unsuitable for exterior joinery. It is widely used for turnings, small mouldings as well as flooring. It works fairly readily and gives a good finish. European Beech is favoured over English home-grown Beech as the European Beech tree usually grows tall and straight without so many branches lower down the trunk. This results in long boards with fewer knots.

Growing Cycle and Forestry Management:

For timber production purposes Beech trees are best grown in a manner that encourages the tree to stretch upwards to the light without producing too many branches. This usually means forests with a diversity of age as well as species.

Regeneration of beech is usually by natural means rather than by planting out saplings. Usually foresters manage individual areas and decide which areas or trees need to be thinned or left to grow for a few more years. In Western European countries certainly, the governments have strict forestry policies and laws regarding forest management. The basis of these laws often extend back into the 19th century and have been clarified and extended in more recent times.

Beech Trees that are used for sawmill purposes generally grow for between 70-180 years. They are felled mainly during the period October to February, during the European winter months. Usually felling starts after the sap has stopped rising, some forest areas will not allow felling until after the first frosts

Type of material supplied:

Beech Planking.
Traditional supply of beech planking has been in boule form, or waney edged in various grades and some customers still prefer only this. However, in recent years, prime square-edged has been introduced and this has found favour amongst many customers. Obviously the square-edged material is more expensive and commands a premium on the price due to the considerable quantity of off-cuts during production.

Joinery Quality European Beech Planking is available in a number of forms; usually Kiln-Dried, in Unsteamed or Steamed, Prime Waney Edged planking, Prime Square-Edged planking, as well as Squares. Other Grades are also available. Common Thicknesses Supplied for the UK Market: 26/32/38/50/65/80mm and occasionally 100mm.

European Beech Lumber is also available, graded to NHLA rules of standard inspection. Bachmann has graders certified to NHLA Inspection Standards and they are able to produce a variety of standard NHLA grades to the standard you expect and require. These include 4/4, 5/4, 6/4 and 8/4 in a variety of fixed standard board foot measure, lengths, and low moisture content.

Beech Squares (Turning Blanks) and Cut to size parts.
Beech squares are also available in most of the above sizes and the main range of lengths that can be expected are 600-1000mm. The UK market takes 610/760/910mm as the main lengths. Other lengths are produced but usually only as a falling production. 80mm and 100mm beech squares are not produced by many suppliers, and so there is only limited availability. The UK favours unsteamed beech squares preferring to use a stain or coloured varnish if required. However, please give us your enquiry and we will see what can be produced Bear in mind that production of 80mm and 100mm squares usually takes at least 8-12 months.

Colour:

Unsteamed Beech Planking:
Not actually white, but is used for the light colouring. Normally the lightest colour unsteamed beech has to be cut into planking during the winter months, particularly in the case of the thicker stock 65/80mm.

Steamed Beech Planking:
Many customers nowadays prefer steamed beech, which originally was intended to take some of the tension out of the timber, but steaming also gives a pleasant pink tinge. Steaming must take place within a few days of cutting the log into planking. Modern steaming facilities appear similar to small kilns. The boards are usually close packed without sticks for the steaming process. Traditional requirements in the United Kingdom, were usually for a darker steaming (60-72 hours) than the Europeans generally prefer. Although in more recent years the trend in the UK and worldwide has been towards a much lighter steaming.

Colour No Defect Beech Planking also known as paint grade:
Some customers use CND Beech Planking for use where the strength is required but the wood may not be visible or may be painted over. Some others do like it for the colour variation.

Drying of Beech:

Whether steamed or unsteamed, beech is usually allowed several months to air-dry in sticks prior to being kilned. Even when considered dry enough to kiln conventionally, it may take 3-4 weeks for 50mm to be reduced to a moisture content of 10-12.5% Fair Average Moisture Content, and a couple of weeks longer if being dried to 6-8%.

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