TREES
BEECH
AREAS OF GROWTH
The beech tree has a unique place in history. It has been used for centuries in Europe as both furniture and fuel. When we look at the growing areas of the beech tree; we see that it grows much more efficiently in moist, sandy and humus soils. It mostly grows in Central Europe, Balkan Peninsula, Greece, Bulgaria, Turkey and the Caucasus. Some species grow on the Asian and American continents. Moreover, the beech is one of the most important commercial hardwood species in Southeast Europe.
EXPORT/IMPORT
Beech wood has high demand globally. The countries that export this tree mostly are Germany, Romania, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, and France. China, on the other hand, is the leading importer and it is followed by Egypt, Italy, the United States, the United Arab Emirates and Germany.
FEATURES/STRUCTURE
The beech tree has more than ten species in the world and it usually takes the name of the country where it grows. It grows slowly and reaches 20-30 cm per year depending on the region’s conditions. The trunk length of an adult beech is between 25 and 35 meters, and the trunk diameter is between 40 and 120 centimeters. Their trunks are pretty plump and straight. Also, it has a durable, non-porous, and strong surface. Although it is very fine-grained, it is still so hard and strong. The weight of the tree varies between 680 and 720 kg/m3. Furthermore, there is almost no color difference between its sapwood and heartwood. Generally, its sapwood is reddish-white and the heartwood is reddish-brown.
WORKING PROPERTIES
The amount of moisture is the most important factor that determines the beech’s growth. Using the beech in soil and moist areas causes rot. Therefore, it is not suitable for outdoor use. When it is processed as a damp form, distortions and deformations would be inevitable. To prevent this situation, the beech timber should be oven-dry for an average of 1.5-2 months. However, this time is changeable depending on the thickness of the timber. It can achieve excellent results with steam bending. While it is easily machined on CNC lathes, it shows medium resistance in hand tools and other machines. After pre-drilling, you can do nailing and screw easily. The beech tree has a polish-holding feature and it is a decorative tree that can be easily glued.
areas of use
The beech wood, which has a wide area of use, is used in the production of furniture, paneling, sports equipment, toys, tool handles, turnery and musical instruments. Its durable and hard structure is mostly used in plywood, paper, parquet, plate, and coating areas.