Shop Birch

Edensaw Woods is the leading supplier of high-quality birch domestic wood in Seattle-Tacoma, Washington, serving local home construction, furniture-making, woodworking, and renovation projects. Explore our large selection of birch domestic woods and seek advice from our knowledgeable staff, who will gladly assist you in selecting the supplies you require for your specific project.

Birch wood is a durable hardwood known for its strength, fine, uniform texture, and excellent workability. It is a popular choice for a wide range of projects due to its clean aesthetic and moderate density.

Birch Types and Technical Specifications - Birch is a strong, dense wood that performs exceptionally well under high stress:

• Janka Hardness: Birch has a high Janka hardness rating of approximately 1260 lbf, which is nearly as hard as Red Oak (1290 lbf). This makes it highly resistant to dents and wear, suitable for flooring and commercial furniture.
  
  
• Density: It is moderately dense, averaging around 43 lbs/ft^3. This density contributes to its excellent shock resistance and stability.
  
  
• Yellow Birch (Betula alleghaniensis): The most commercially important type, offering the highest strength and density. It features a light, creamy white color that often includes areas of heartwood that range from dark brown to reddish-brown.
  
  
• Paper Birch (Betula papyrifera): Also known as White Birch, this wood is slightly softer and lighter in color than Yellow Birch, characterized by its distinctive peeling white bark.
  
  

Birch is valued for its density and clean, pale color:

• Furniture: Because it is strong, durable, and resists splintering, birch wood is a popular choice for furniture frames, chairs, and tables.
  
  
• Cabinetry: Birch wood is highly suitable for cabinetry. It is strong and long-lasting, and its uniform appearance can be stained or painted to match any décor.
  
  
• Musical instruments: Birch wood is used to make musical instruments such as certain guitars, violins, and especially drum shells. It is an excellent material for these instruments because it is strong, resonant, and simple to work with.
  
  
• Plywood: Birch wood is a popular material for plywood, including the highly-regarded Baltic Birch. It is used due to its strength, tight grain, and smooth surface that takes paint and finish well.
  
  
• Veneer: Birch wood is also used as a veneer. A veneer is a thin layer of wood used to conceal other substrates. Birch veneer is frequently used to coat furniture and cabinet panels.
  
  
• Crafts: Birch wood is a popular craft material. Its fine texture makes it simple to carve and turn, and it can be used to create a wide range of objects, including bowls, boxes, and sculptures.
  
  

Birch's uniform grain can sometimes be challenging when staining:

• Staining Challenges: Birch is classified as a blotchy-stain wood. Its tight, dense structure means that it absorbs stain unevenly, potentially resulting in a dark, mottled appearance, especially with oil-based stains.
  
  
• Finishing Tip: To achieve a uniform stained color, it is strongly recommended to use a pre-stain wood conditioner or a gel stain. Alternatively, birch accepts paint exceptionally well, providing a glass-smooth, durable surface.
  
  
• Prefinished Advantage: Edensaw stocks prefinished birch panels. These are coated with a hard, clear UV-cured finish that eliminates the need for sanding, staining, and top-coating, saving significant time and labor on cabinet interiors and shelving.
  
  

For a reliable birch domestic wood supplier, choose Edensaw Woods. As your local domestic & exotic supplier and local rough sawn & surfaced lumber supplier, Edensaw Woods (Edensaw.com) offers a wide selection of top-quality domestic wood and lumber essential for cabinet, marine, and construction projects across the Pacific Northwest region. From our locations in Port Townsend-Tacoma, Washington, USA, we provide professionals and hobbyists in Seattle-Port Townsend-Tacoma with premium local rough sawn and surfaced lumber. Browse popular varieties, including alder, ash, basswood, beech, and birch. Our specialty lumber selection also features beautiful hardwoods like cherry, hickory, and walnut, alongside reliable softwoods like fir and aromatic tennessee cedar. We stock various maple options, including maple (eastern) and maple (western), plus oak selections like red oak, red oak riftsawn - quartersawn, classic white oak, and premium white oak riftsawn - quartersawn, among many more choices. Learn about our wide array of products and services by reaching out via contact us.