Beech

Reclaimed parquet block:

Beech (Fagus sylvatica)

Beech is found throughout Europe, and is a well-known British hardwood. It is regarded as a very hard timber, the strength being a benchmark for other wood types. It is the most widely used timbers in the UK for all types of joinery. In more recent decades it has been used for parquet, generally speaking since the 1960s onwards. Despite being very versatile, it is not considered suitable for external use. 

Trees grow to an average of 100 ft (30 m) with a trunk diameter of about 4 ft ( 1.2 m ).

Beech characteristics

Beige-white or cream coloured, it is a close grained timber and is generally straight-grained. A key to identification is the tell-tale pinkish or brown flecking. There is little distinction in colour between heartwood and sapwood . When quarter-sawn there is a pleasing silvery grain (medullary rays) which is visible on the surface. Beech takes glue and polish well and has fair to good stability.

There are many uses; chairs, kitchenware, tool handles, work-benches and butcher’s blocks. It is good for turnery as well.

When considering reclaimed flooring, this is a good budget parquet. It can also be stained to any colour to blend in with other timbers. It takes a polish to give a lovely, but never a high gloss finish. As a parquet block it is a very good and hard flooring material, especially favoured by the Scandinavians.

You can order a sample or when available, you can buy Beech here.