Availability: European Beech is the most available and accessible temperate hardwood in the world. Europe has more temperate hardwood available than all the rest of the world combined. Pollmeier sources 100% of their lumber from Germany’s hardwood forests which are 57% Beech.
Sustainability: While a major portion of the world has seen a significant decrease, Europe’s forests have experienced the world s largest percentage increase in standing timber. Federal German laws enacted centuries ago, like the Forestry Act and similar legislation passed by various German states, make sure the amount of wood used never exceeds the amount of wood growing to take its place. Active regeneration of the forest stock is a significant part of these efforts, as demonstrated by the German forest industry’s voluntary certification of sustainable management practices. Pollmeier Beech production is now certified for sustainable management practices as well.
Durability: European Beech is a very strong, hard and durable close-grain hardwood. When compared to North American hardwood species, only Hickory has higher strength properties. European Beech is used for many industrial applications like flooring, pulleys, workbenches, chairs and more.
Machinability: Although it is very hard and strong, European Beech has superior machining characteristics. It ranks equal to American Cherry in the five operations: shaping, turning, mortising, planing, and boring. Finishability: With its tight, fine grain and uniform color, European Beech dresses very smooth, sands to a high polish, and takes practically any type of finish well. Stains and glazes can include everything from natural to Cordovan. European Beech is widely used to mimic more expensive woods like Walnut, Cherry and Mahogany.
Affordability: Due to European Beech’s availability, production can continue to increase with demand, which will keep pricing very consistent. Beech is very affordable and a great value when compared to other woods with similar physical and aesthetic properties. As the world’s demand for hardwoods continues to outpace supply European Beech has quickly becoming the wood of choice. Whether you manufacture or sell kitchen cabinets, architectural moldings and millwork, interior doors and trim, residential and commercial furniture, store fixtures or flooring, European Beech is one wood with so many possibilities.
see full article with graph charts:
http://www.ucfp.com/uppercanada/Pollmeier/PDF/Why%20Beech.pdf
