Oak: Strengths and applications. Both
While both of these hardwoods are of the highest quality and would suit most types of hearths, they each boast unique features that make them ideal for certain situations. Beech logs for burning tend to be denser and heavier than oak logs, so they tend to burn more slowly and produce more heat.
Oak needs more air circulation to get going than Beech, but once going it will burn for longer. Some customers start off their fires with Beech wood, as an easier wood to light, then move on to Oak wood for the burning duration.
Beech is a hard wood, moderately heavy and solid, with good mechanical properties. It has particularly high resistance to compression, though less so to bending or tension because of its short fibres. Very fine texture. It has a tendency to warp substantially when exposed to changes in humidity.
The most commonly referenced "heaviest wood", lignum vitae (Guaiacum officinale), has a specific gravity of 1.05 when green, which makes its weight about 1365 kg/m3, or 85 pounds per green cubic foot.
Hardness: Hardwoods are usually stronger, more scratch resistant and harder wearing. If the wood chips easily with a chisel, it's most likely a softwood. Weight: Because of their superior density, hardwoods are usually heavier than softwoods.
Cons: Beech is prone to warping when exposed to moisture, making it unsuitable for outdoor use. It can be harder to cut than softer woods and is relatively heavy.
European beech is more dense and heavy and suitable for projects like furniture making, flooring, and construction.
Beech is a hardwood species. The weight of the wood may vary, but the mean weight is approximately 680 kg/m³.
Comparisons with Other Hardwoods
Both European beech and oak are strong and dense. Oak, however, has a density rating of around 800kg per cubic metre, and beech sits at around 700kg pcm this makes oak more durable.
Beech. Beech is a superb wood for burning, although it has a high water content so needs to be dried well; ideally, it should be seasoned for three years before use. It does not need to be burned in a mix and can be burned in a wood burning stove too.
Because it is often used in combination with more expensive woods, beech is extremely common, which helps to keep it one of the most inexpensive hardwoods available.
Beech Wood
As a result, beech takes an average of between 12 and 24 months to season properly.
Comments: Among the heaviest woods on earth, Black Ironwood is found in southern Florida, making it the heaviest wood in the United States, (along with the unrelated Desert Ironwood perhaps being a close second).
Firwood is best known for its strength-to-weight ratio, which is relatively higher than other woods.
Balsa is the lightest and softest timber used commercially. It exhibits an unusually high degree of buoyancy and provides very efficient insulation against heat and sound. The wood can be adapted to a great number of special end-uses where these properties are essential.
Beech trees typically grow to 100-130 feet tall with diameters of 3-5 feet. This means that it can be used to produce thick lumber with excellent average widths.
Although both are very durable hardwood types, oak is more hardwearing than beech when it comes to wood worktops. Oak has a density of 800 kg per cubic meter, while beech has a density of 700 kg per cubic meter.
Oak wood is not as easy to polish as fine-grain wood. It is also very heavy so it is very difficult to make a contemporary piece of furniture. Oak wood is also very difficult to cut and prone to cracking if not handled properly. If the oak wood is not completely cleaned, the furniture may shrink and turn into cracks.
Beech timber is suitable for a variety of purposes, including fuel, furniture, cooking utensils, tool handles and sports equipment. The wood burns well and was traditionally used to smoke herring.
The formula for the weight of wood is density X volume.
Pine – 2.5lbs per board foot. Cherry – 3lbs per board foot. Walnut – 3.3lbs per board foot. Oak – 3.6lbs per board foot.
Balsa (Ochroma pyramidale), which is the lowest density wood, is a useful species in various industries.