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Paper birch
Paper birch
Photo and data from Forest World
Common Names
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Birch
Black birch
Canadian white birch
Canoe birch
Kenai birch
Kenai paper birch
Paper birch
Red birch
Silver birch
Western paper birch
White birch
Common Uses
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Butcher blocks
Decorative veneer
Furniture
Hardwood distillation
Kitchen cabinets
Musical instruments
Paneling
Radio, stereo, TV cabinets
Chairs
Chests
Desks
Dining-room furniture
Dowell pins
Dowells
Drawer sides
Drum sticks
Figured veneer
Fine furniture
Floor lamps
Hatracks
Living-room suites
Office furniture
Organ pipes
Rustic furniture
Stools
Tables
Veneer
Violin
Violin bows
Wainscotting
Wardrobes
Species Distribution
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REGIONS:
North America
COUNTRIES:
Canada
United States
Physical and Environmental Profile
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Environmental Profile
Paper birch is rather widespread, abundant, and
secure globally,
though it may be quite rare in parts of its range, especially at the periphery
(Source - The Nature Conservancy -Rank of relative endangerment based primarily
on the number of occurrences of the species globally).
though it may be quite rare in parts of its range, especially at the periphery
(Source - The Nature Conservancy -Rank of relative endangerment based primarily
on the number of occurrences of the species globally).
Distribution
Paper birch is reported to be distributed in
Alberta, British Columbia, Lebanon, Manitoba, New Brunswick,
Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, Quebec,
Saskatchewan, and Yukon Territory in Canada.
In the United States, it is reported to occur in
Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Iowa, Idaho, Massachusetts, Maine,
Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, North Dakota, New Hampshire, New Jersey,
North Carolina, Illinois, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania,
Rhode Island, South Dakota, Virginia, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin,
West Virginia, Nebraska, Tennessee, Indiana, Wyoming.
Paper birch is usually found in nearly pure stands,
and the tree prefers moist upland soils and cutover lands.
Alberta, British Columbia, Lebanon, Manitoba, New Brunswick,
Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, Quebec,
Saskatchewan, and Yukon Territory in Canada.
In the United States, it is reported to occur in
Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Iowa, Idaho, Massachusetts, Maine,
Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, North Dakota, New Hampshire, New Jersey,
North Carolina, Illinois, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania,
Rhode Island, South Dakota, Virginia, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin,
West Virginia, Nebraska, Tennessee, Indiana, Wyoming.
Paper birch is usually found in nearly pure stands,
and the tree prefers moist upland soils and cutover lands.
Product Sources
Some material from this species is reported to
be available
from environmentally responsible sources.
from environmentally responsible sources.
Tree Data
The mature tree is usually between 50 and 70
feet (15 and 21 m) high,
with a trunk diameter of 12 to 24 inches (30 and 60 cm).
with a trunk diameter of 12 to 24 inches (30 and 60 cm).
Heartwood Color
The wood is described as creamy white in color,
often with a brownish central core.
Grain
The wood can be described as straight
grained.
A natural attractive figure is reported to make birch a very desirable timber for furniture.
A natural attractive figure is reported to make birch a very desirable timber for furniture.
Texture
Texture is described as even.
Natural Durability
The timber is reported to have very little
natural resistance to decay,
and should not be used under high decay hazard conditions.
and should not be used under high decay hazard conditions.
Resistance to Impregnation
The heartwood is reported to be fairly difficult
to treat with liquids.
Planing
Planing properties are reported to be only fair,
and the wood tend to chip and tear.
A reduced cutting angle of 20 to 25 percent has been recommended for best results.
(Percent of planed pieces without any machining defects = 47).
A reduced cutting angle of 20 to 25 percent has been recommended for best results.
(Percent of planed pieces without any machining defects = 47).
Turning
Turning qualities are rated as excellent.
Moulding
The wood is reported to respond poorly to
moulding operations, and surfaces tend to be rough.
(Percent of moulded pieces yeilding good to excellent results out of 100 samples = 22).
(Percent of moulded pieces yeilding good to excellent results out of 100 samples = 22).
Boring
The wood is reported to bore very well,
and bored holes are generally smooth and uniform in size.
and bored holes are generally smooth and uniform in size.
Mortising
Mortising qualities are rated as very
good.
Gluing
Under properly controlled conditions,
Paper birch is reported to bond to produce joints of good strength.
Darker colored glues are reported to produce conspicuous
glue lines because the wood is lighter colored and also porous.
Paper birch is reported to bond to produce joints of good strength.
Darker colored glues are reported to produce conspicuous
glue lines because the wood is lighter colored and also porous.
Nailing
Resistance to splitting in nailing operations is
reported to be
good but pre-drilling is recommended during hand nailing.
Nail-holding properties are rated as very good.
good but pre-drilling is recommended during hand nailing.
Nail-holding properties are rated as very good.
Screwing
Pre-drilling is suggested during screwing to
prevent splitting,
but the material is reported to hold screws very well.
but the material is reported to hold screws very well.
Sanding
Smooth surfaces are reported to be difficult to
achieve in sanding.
Polishing
The timber is reported to polish well without
grain filling.
Staining
Dyes and clear stains are reported to be
preferable to heavily pigmented finishes,
since the latter tends to give the wood a muddy appearance.
Surface scratching is reported to be a common problem.
since the latter tends to give the wood a muddy appearance.
Surface scratching is reported to be a common problem.
Strength Properties
Bending strength in the air-dry condition (about
12 percent moisture content) is high.
It has medium crushing strength. It is moderately hard and resistant to wearing and marring.
It is a heavy wood.
It has medium crushing strength. It is moderately hard and resistant to wearing and marring.
It is a heavy wood.
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Reference Sources
Numerical Data Source
USDA. 1987. Wood Handbook: Wood as an Engineering
Material.
Agriculture Handbook No. 72. United States Department of Agriculture,
Forest Service, Madison, Wisconsin.
Agriculture Handbook No. 72. United States Department of Agriculture,
Forest Service, Madison, Wisconsin.
Descriptive Data Source
Panshin, A.J. and C. deZeeuw. Textbook of Wood
Technology.
McGraw-Hill Series in Forest Resources.
McGraw-Hill Book Company, New York.
McGraw-Hill Series in Forest Resources.
McGraw-Hill Book Company, New York.
Canadian Forestry Service. 1981.
Canadian Woods - Their Properties and Uses.
Third Edition. E.J. Mullins and T.S. McKnight, Editors.
Published by University of Toronto Press, Toronto, Canada.
Canadian Woods - Their Properties and Uses.
Third Edition. E.J. Mullins and T.S. McKnight, Editors.
Published by University of Toronto Press, Toronto, Canada.
HMSO, 1981. Handbook of Hardwoods, 2nd Edition.
Revised by R.H. Farmer.
Department of the Environment, Building Research Establishment,
Princes Risborough Laboratory, Princes Risborough, Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire
Department of the Environment, Building Research Establishment,
Princes Risborough Laboratory, Princes Risborough, Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire
Jackson, A. and D. Day. 1991
Good Wood Handbook - The Woodworker's Guide to Identifying, Selecting and Using the Right Wood.
Betterway Publications, Cincinnati, Ohio.
Good Wood Handbook - The Woodworker's Guide to Identifying, Selecting and Using the Right Wood.
Betterway Publications, Cincinnati, Ohio.
Western Wood Products Association. 19__. Woods of
the Western USA.
Published and distributed by the Western Wood Products Association,
Yeon Building, 522 S.W. Fifth Avenue, Portland, Oregon.
Published and distributed by the Western Wood Products Association,
Yeon Building, 522 S.W. Fifth Avenue, Portland, Oregon.
Boone, R.S., C.J. Kozlik, P.J. Bois and E.M.
Wengert. 1988.
Dry Kiln Schedules for Commercial Woods: Temperate and Tropical.
United States Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Forest Products Laboratory,
General Technical Report FPL-GTR-57, Madison, Wisconsin.
Dry Kiln Schedules for Commercial Woods: Temperate and Tropical.
United States Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Forest Products Laboratory,
General Technical Report FPL-GTR-57, Madison, Wisconsin.
USDA. 1988. Dry Kiln Operators Manual,
Preliminary Copy.
Forest Service, Forest Products Laboratory, Madison, Wisconsin.
Forest Service, Forest Products Laboratory, Madison, Wisconsin.
Niemiec, S.S., G.A. Ahrens, S. Willits, and D.E.
Hibbs. March, 1995.
Hardwoods of the Pacific Northwest.
Oregon State University, College of Forestry,
Research Contribution 8, Forest Research Laboratory,
Department of Forest Products, Corvallis, Oregon.
Hardwoods of the Pacific Northwest.
Oregon State University, College of Forestry,
Research Contribution 8, Forest Research Laboratory,
Department of Forest Products, Corvallis, Oregon.
Little E.L. 1980.
The Audobon Society Field Guide to North American Trees - Western Region.
Published by Arthur A. Knopf, New York.
The Audobon Society Field Guide to North American Trees - Western Region.
Published by Arthur A. Knopf, New York.
Kaiser, Jo-ann. Wood of the Month: American Beech
- A Furniture Favorite.
Wood and Wood Products, February, 1993. Page 30.
Wood and Wood Products, February, 1993. Page 30.
Kloot, N. H. and E. Bolza. 1961.
Properties of Timbers Imported into Australia. Technological Paper No. 12.
Division of Forest Products,
Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Organization, Melbourne, Australia.
Properties of Timbers Imported into Australia. Technological Paper No. 12.
Division of Forest Products,
Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Organization, Melbourne, Australia.
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