BEECH

APPEARANCE
COLOR: Heartwood is mostly reddish brown; sapwood is generally pale white.
GRAIN: Mostly closed, straight grain; fine uniform texture. Coarser than European Beech.
VARIATIONS WITHIN SPECIES & GRADES: Only one species is native to the United States. Moderate to high color variations between boards.

PROPERTIES
HARDNESS/JANKA: 1300; 1% harder than Northern Red Oak.
DURABILITY: Elastic, hard; excellent shock resistance. Wears well and stays smooth when subject to friction - popular for factory floors.
SAWING/MACHINING: Difficult to work with hand tools, but good machining qualities.
SANDING: Sands satisfactory.
NAILING: Good holding ability; but has a tendency to split.
FINISHING: No known problems.