For practically as long as people have been using wood, beech has been significant. It has hundreds of uses and produces wood with long, straight trunks that are both hard and easy to deal with. The ancient Greeks were the first people who were known to have used it for furniture.
These days, using beech wood for furniture is highly fashionable and in demand. It enables you to add a unique style to each piece of furniture in your home. Beechwood is a fantastic option if you want a homey appearance.
Nearly all furniture designs, including modern, urban, industrial, and rustic, work well with beech wood furniture. In this article, we have gathered important information on beech wood to help you understand it better.
Brief History of Beech Trees
The beech tree has been the tree of wisdom according to history. The term “book” comes from the old English form “bece.” Regarding the precise path, there is some dispute. It could be that the living tree’s trunk contains symbols that are visible for as long as the tree is standing. Alternatively, it could be that the wood was sliced into thin sheets and then carved with runes or letters. Both theories are plausible, and a combination of them may link beech to prehistoric symbols in a community that would otherwise be illiterate.
According to British tradition, beech was important to the druids’ religion. They considered oak to be the king of trees and beech to be the queen. When searching for water sources, water diviners have historically used forked twigs from beech trees.
There are eleven different species of beech trees, which are mostly found in North America, Asia, and Europe. For growth, it needs well-drained soil and strong sunlight. On the other hand, ancient beech trees can endure in a shaded spot. It can reach a height of 100 feet.
Beech trees, on the other hand, cannot live in environments with high carbon monoxide levels and need less carbon monoxide. It is an excellent hardwood with a wide range of applications. Large flat surfaces like those found in contemporary dining table designs are ideal for it. Designers can also use it well on smaller furniture pieces like coffee tables and traditional dining chairs.
Characteristics Of Beech Wood
There are roughly eleven different species of beech on the earth. However, only two varieties—the European Fagus sylvatica and the American Fagus grandifolia—are significant in terms of practical use. Even though the Atlantic Ocean separates their places of origin, they are identical in every relevant manner. Both fall in the middle of light tan and pale cream. If the European variety isn’t picked from an extremely old tree, it usually has a milder tone. There’s a little redder tint to the American. However, the wood is frequently treated with steam, which darkens it and gives it a more golden tone.
However, beech’s strength, straight grain, and ease of working are what set it apart. Because of its inherent antibacterial qualities, it is safe to use on a variety of kitchen surfaces and equipment. Thus, beech is a common material for natural work tables, chopping boards, and spoons. If properly cared for, they will last for many years.
Uses of Beech Wood
It is a great wood to utilize in construction to make the wooden frames that hold up a house’s roof. Beechwood is primarily used by furniture designers to make chair carcasses and to support the surface of contemporary dining tables.
Since the Stone Age, this wood has been in vogue. It has always been common, growing in any area with dry soil and a temperate temperature, in part due to its ease of workability. It is possible to get a smooth finish even using stone tools. Therefore, it doesn’t take much creativity to figure out how simple it is to work with contemporary tools and a fully furnished workshop.
Additionally, for the past 200 years or so, artisans have been able to mold it. The method is submerging it in almost boiling water or using steam in an enclosed box. It still has all of its strength when it dries out again. This implies that it has all the necessary characteristics when it comes to building a chair with a curved back or seat. You may make the beech wood flexible and bend it to the desired shape instead of wasting wood by carving the shape out of a solid lump.
Beech Wood for Outdoor Furniture
Because of its inherent ability to absorb, beechwood is a good material for outdoor furniture. It can tolerate humid environments since it can absorb moisture. Nonetheless, it is primarily utilized for interior furniture, such as that found in living rooms and bedroom furniture.
Advantages of Using Beech Wood for Furniture Manufacturing
Plywood, musical instruments, flooring, and furniture are all made from solid beech wood. The following are some typical advantages of beech wood in the furniture manufacturing sector:
Flexible
Beech is an excellent wood for a lot of things, including chairs, cabinets, flooring, cutting boards, spoons, and even goblets. It is typically used for manufacturing curved furniture. Working with beech wood for industry, specifically for these uses, is quite simple.
Sturdy
Beech hardwood, which falls into the “hard-wearing” wood category, is non-porous, has a solid density, and a robust surface. This indicates that it will withstand pressure, chipping, and gouging better than certain other types of wood.
Shock-absorbing
Due to its hardness, weight, and strength, the uniformly textured, straight-grained beech wood provides a considerable amount of pressure resistance. In light of this, beech wood is typically chosen for flooring due to its ability to support weight and strong impacts.
Beechwood is reasonably priced and comparable to other less expensive hardwoods. In addition, it’s frequently used to replicate pricey woods like cherry, walnut, mahogany, and maple.
Easy maintenance
To bring out the inherent grain, finish, and consistency of color in beech wood, it is common practice to steam the wood lightly. Furniture made of beech wood will last for many years and continue to look excellent because of its durable qualities. If there is significant aesthetic damage, just sanding the edges down would suffice.
Odorless
Timber made of beech wood lacks a distinctive flavor or aroma, in contrast to other woods. This not only makes beech wood a fantastic choice for food-use containers, but it also presents a clean surface and draws attention from consumers.
If properly cared for, beech wood should maintain its color and shape once it is in situ. If left in its natural state, it will eventually darken a little. Because it is a robust wood, modern tables and chairs made of it can bear a lot of pressure. Its endurance is good as long as it is not exposed to cold, wet conditions.
Beechwood will bend, expand, or contract when exposed to excessive moisture or temperature conditions. But as long as you take good care of it, that shouldn’t be an issue. It will provide good service for many years in a normal residence under normal circumstances. It will maintain its shape and withstand typical wear and tear if it is treated with paint, lacquer, or varnish.
