Beech Wood
European Beech, or to give it its botanical name, Fagus sylvatica, is a supremely tall and imposing tree which is found in large distributions in and around mainland Europe. Many American's also refer to beech, although they are generally talking about American Beech which has a number of differences (more on that later).
Beech trees tend to grow up to 40m tall and at their full growth have a trunk diameter of between 1 and 1.5 metres.
The Popularity of beech
Many of our customers love beech because of the neutral appeal it gives them when decorating. It is typically found to be a pale cream colour although it is not uncommon to have a pink or brown hue to the paleness. Different treatments such as steaming when producing a veneer can darken the surface somewhat or even cause silvery grey fleck pattern to emerge.
Because it has a very neutral appeal, it is often seen as being a very modern choice for bedrooms because it allows a light and airy feel as opposed to a heavier wood which might darken the room. For similar reasons, beech is also popular in use as conservatory or sun room furniture and we are delighted to introduce our selection of beech furniture which adds a modern and sunny feel to any space.
Because it is a hardwood, beech tends to be used in furniture as it has a durable and long lasting appeal. However, as hard wood flooring enjoys resurgence in popularity, beech floors are also extremely common and can make much of the space and natural light in any room.
The Difference between European and American Beech
Although they are different aspects of the same family, variations in soil and weather conditions mean that there are many differences between European and American Beech. This means that colour, size of contours and grains and even strength can alter between the two species quite dramatically.
For carpenters, the difference between the two is often immediately apparent in the raw material. European Beech tends to come in larger and wider cutting boards than its American counterpart and this is because the trees tend to be larger.
The difference to the customer is also quite obvious. Whilst American beech tends to be heavier, than European Beech, American Beech is also criticised for having an almost lifeless quality whilst its European cousin can be said to almost glow with health.
