European Beech
Fagus sylvatica
Also known as: Common Beech, English Beech
European Beech is a classic temperate hardwood valued for its excellent steam bending properties and uniform texture. It is the wood of choice for bentwood chairs and has been a staple of European furniture making for centuries. The wood steams to a warm reddish color and works beautifully with hand and machine tools.
Botanical Profile
Fagus sylvatica is a large deciduous tree native throughout Europe, typically reaching 25-35 meters in height. It features smooth gray bark and produces edible beechnuts. The tree forms dominant canopy in many European forests and can live for 200-300 years in favorable conditions.
Physical Properties
The heartwood is pale cream to pinkish brown, darkening to warm reddish tones when steamed. It has a fine, even texture with straight grain and prominent ray figure. Dried weight averages 720 kg/m³ with a Janka hardness of 1,300 lbf. The wood is strong and responds exceptionally well to steam bending.
Workshop Notes
Blunting Effect
Moderate - hard wood wears tools
Gluing Advice
Excellent gluing properties
Finishing
Takes stains and finishes beautifully; steams to attractive reddish color
Steam Bending
Excellent - the premier wood for steam bending
Historical Context
European Beech has been used in furniture making since medieval times. Thonet revolutionized chair production in the 1850s using steam-bent beech. The wood remains essential for European furniture, flooring, and the production of bentwood chairs and other curved components.
Technical Specs
Pale cream to pinkish brown heartwood, darkening with steam
Sustainable, abundant in European forests