Birch

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DESCRIPTION	Birch has light yellow sapwood and reddish brown heartwood. Once stained, the color differences are less pronounced. It has straight, close grain and a fine, even texture. Weight is about 44lbs per cu. ft.
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN	North America
BOTANICAL NAME	Betula Lutea
OTHER NAMES	Betula Wood, Grey Birch, Silver Birch, Hard Birch, American Birch
MECHANICAL PROPERTIES	High bending and crushing strength. Very good steam bending characteristics. High shock resistance.
WORKING PROPERTIES	Works fairly easily with hand and power tools. Moderate dulling effect on cutters. Curly or disturbed grain wood requires reduced cutting angles. Glues well. Takes stain and polish extremely well.
DURABILITY	Perishable and susceptible to attack by common furniture beetle. Heartwood is moderately resistant to preservative treatment. Sapwood is permeable.
SEASONING	Dries slowly with little degradation. Large movement.
USES	Furniture, high-grade joinery and flooring, upholstery frames, high-grade plywood, paneling, veneers.
COMMENTS	Its uniform, dense surface, free of large groups of pores, make it an unequalled base for white enameling. Curly grained or strongly figured varieties are marked in the UK as "Canadian Silky Wood".