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Using Beech to Build Cabinets
Question
Forum Responses
From contributor I: If it is 7% MC, it should be fine. From Professor Gene Wengert, forum technical advisor: Check the published shrinkage values on p.35-37 of Chapter 1 at the link below. There are quite a few hardwoods that have 10% or greater tangential shrinkage, green to 0% MC. From contributor P: I have a cabinet that I built in about 2000 out of beech that I harvested, sawed and dried in my small DH kiln to 6-7%. It is in my basement where the RH gets to 50% in the summer if I run my dehumidifier, close to 70% if I don't. No more problems so far than with any other of the woods I have used (cherry, soft and hard maple, and ash). From contributor G: American Beech is a wonderful wood and beautiful when properly finished. It was used widely in the old wooden school desk because of its durability and price. I'm getting ready to build a set of kitchen cabinets for a customer out of beech and I can't wait to get started. Beech must be sawed from fresh cut logs, and put in the kiln ASAP if you want good lumber. I would not recommend the use of air-dried - kiln-dried beech for furniture or cabinetry. It must also be cut from good straight logs that weren't leaning toward the sunlight. If the lumber has a lot of growth stress, then you might as well burn it in the fireplace. It is a shame that American beech has been shoved aside to be used mostly in paper, plywood, and crossties, as is the case in our area. Very beautiful lumber. From contributor G: I got an e-mail to elaborate on the finish we use on beech. I like 4 or 5 coats of Magnalac, clear with a satin sheen. Very beautiful. It is hard in our area to get good beech lumber. American beech, at least in our area, is not harvested for lumber. Mostly used for crossties and cants. A lot of loggers won't even cut it because it doesn't bring much at all. If you get lumber from a tie mill, it usually isn't sawn properly. They just want a cross-tie. Any lumber is used for barns and fences. When an American beech is sawn for high grade lumber and not cross-ties, things are different. The wood must still be properly kiln dried. I would love to see woodworkers rediscover some of the wonderful hardwoods in this country that have long since been forgotten, like American beech, sweet gum, sycamore and sassafras. Would you like to add information to this article? Interested in writing or submitting an article? Have a question about this article? Have you reviewed the related Knowledge Base areas below? 
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