chair made of American Beech (Caroline Jones, May 10, 2013)

Like the beech tree in Europe centuries ago, the American Beech provides material for paper still today. Its short, fine fibers mixed with other tree pulps produce a smooth, soft paper. The American Beech is also commonly employed for woodcraft, cabinetmaking, and furniture. It is popular especially when making chairs since it can be steamed and bent to create a permanent curvature that is used for arched furniture parts. American beech wood is also conducive to many styles of woodwork because it has uniform texture and comes in a variety colors. The heartwood ranges from dark to light reddish brown while the sapwood shifts from reddish brown to nearly white with a touch of red. This spectrum gives the American Beech an artistic flair that allows for the creation of beautiful yet useful woodcraft.