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NAME/S
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European Birch (Betula verrucosa and Betula pubescens)
American White Birch (Betula papyrifera)
American Birch (Betula alleghaniensis)
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SUB NAMES/S
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American White Birch is alternatively known as Paper Birch.
American Birch is alternatively known as Yellow Birch (B. lutea)
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TRADE NAME/S
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Examples of Yellow Birch which display attractive curly grain are often sold as Curly Birch while strongly figured wood is sometimes sold in the UK as Canadian Silky Wood.The name Masur Birch is given to wood that has been subjected to insect attack. This results in disturbance to the appearance of the grain, which makes highly decorative rotary cut veneer.
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ORIGIN
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European Birch is widely distributed in Europe including Britain. American White Birch, which closely resembles European Birch, is found in the northern United States and Canada. Yellow Birch occurs in eastern Canada and southwards as far as Tennessee.
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APPEARANCE
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When rotary cut Birch produces a wavy/multidirection grain pattern, whereas when crown cut it offers the more traditional cathedral look. Birch is generally creamy white to light brown in colour. It is usually bland but has lustre and may contain features. Yellow Birch is darker in colour and heartwood can be red/brown. It is considered difficult to produce Birch which does not display some form of defect, hence the best decorative veneer tends to be expensive.
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MECHANICAL PROPERTIES
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Birch is hard and tough ranging in density from 620kg/m3 for American White to 690kg/m³ for Yellow Birch.
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AVAILABILITY
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The solid material is available as square-edged boards.Both rotary cut and crown cut veneers are widely available with the more decorative Curly Birch yielding a higher price.
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USE AS TIMBER CUTS FEATURES
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Whilst solid Birch is used in furniture manufacture, it is not recognised as a suitable joinery material.
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USE AS VENEER CUTS APPEARANCES
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Only the best logs are used for sliced veneer. Large quantities of the lesser grade logs are rotary cut for plywood manufacture but this material is not suitable for decorative veneering. Birch logs are generally of modest girth but can reach 900mm. Birch is finely textured which assists in achieving a good general consistency of appearance in veneered work. When rotary cut Birch produces a wavy/multidirectional grain pattern, whereas when crown cut it offers the more traditional cathedral look. However the presence of features may make it prudent to carefully plan any required area matching in large schemes.
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RELATIVE COST/of 10
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4
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PROPERTIES-MACHINING, FINISHING,JOINTING
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Birch veneer can usually be fine sanded to a close smooth finish which take both stain and polish.
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SEASONING
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No particular difficulties are described.
