Birch: Domestic Hardwood
Birch lumber is classified as a domestic wood and is sometimes referred to as Grey Birch, Silver Birch, Hard Birch, American Birch, or Betula Wood.
Birch has a reddish-brown heartwood and light yellow sapwood. Birch has very good steam bending characteristics, high shock resistance, and crushing strength.
It can be used for furniture making, flooring, and high-grade joinery, upholstery frames, paneling, high-grade plywood, and veneers. Birch glues well and also takes stain and polish extremely well; once stained, any color differences are less pronounced.
Birch has a Janka hardness of 1260.
Characteristics
| Origin of Wood Type | The U.S. and Canada |
| Botanical Name | Betula Alleghaniensis |
| Specific Gravity | .55 |
| Avg. Weight Per BF | 3.5 lbs |
| Color Range | Light cream to brown heartwood |
| Rarity / Availability | Common |
| Typical Avg. Width | 4 – 10 inches |
| Typical Avg. Length | 8 – 12 feet |
| Avg. Waste Factor | 25% |
| Wood Uses | All woodworking and cabinetmaking applications |
| Lumber Grades | FAS through 2 common |
| Other Trade Names | Yellow Birch, Birch, or White Birch |