Birch Edge Glued Panels & Worktops

Found throughout Europe, including the British Isles, Birch is also known as birch, silver birch and warty birch. It penetrates farther north than any other broad-leaved tree, and will grow where it is subject to great heat just as well as it will endure extreme cold. It extends from Lapland, through northern Europe down to central Spain, and can be found throughout the British Isles.

There is no distinct heartwood, the wood being whitish to pale brown, without conspicuous features, fairly straight grained, fine-textured, and weighing about 670 kg/m³ when dried.

Dried Birch timber is similar to oak in most strength properties, and superior to that timber in compression along the grain, stiffness and toughness. The wood works fairly easily, and can be planed and moulded to a good clean surface. It can be glued, stained and polished satisfactorily, and is a good turnery wood.

Despite the normally featureless appearance of birch, changes in appearance occasionally take place due to beetle attack. An insect known as Agromyzia carbonaria is usually responsible, its larvae burrowing in the cambium of the tree create what are known as pith flecks, pith-like cells which cause dark markings in the wood, and localized grain disturbances. Logs that have been severely attacked, when rotary peeled, can produce highly decorative veneer known as Masur Birch, the irregular dark markings appearing to stand out in relief against the silky white background. Flame birch and curly birch veneer is likewise created by grain deviations. You can view the full range of Birch veneer.

Both full length and finger jointed birch panels are regularly used as birch worktops, and in the manufacture of all types of furniture.