Why don't you see Silver Birch for sale at timber yards?

[Tetsuaiga]

Does anyone know why this is?

I was thinking maybe its because it grows to fairly small diameters compared to other native species? It seems to be a widespread species at least around where I am.

 

[custard]

I've seen Birch sold commercially in lots of places, what species of Birch I couldn't tell you. I seem to recall a forester telling me it was tricky to process in that Birch bark is an excellent moisture barrier (canoes have been made from it), so unless the bark is all stripped away pronto the moisture content stays high and the log rots within.

 

[heimlaga]

Birch is very good for making high end furniture.

It's greatest downside is that the logs must be sawn early in spring and the wood properly stickered under roof and properly air dried. Everything has to be done right. Down to choosing the correct species for the stickers. If the logs aren't sawn in time or one thing is done wrong all the wood is ruined. Where I live the last day of sawing birch is the 31st of May. In the UK we are probably talking about the middle of March.
I have brough quite a few birch logs to the local sawmill and air dried it at home. Failed twice and succeeded with the rest. Learned my lesson.

 

[Moonsafari69]

Silver Birch is relatively easy to get hold of in the form of bowl blanks for turning. Haven't looked for it as lumber though.

 

[Rhyolith]

I cut down a lot of birch, seeing how wet it is and how much sap comes out I can entirely believe its a pain to season.

Birch and silver birch are the same thing I believe. There is also downey birch, I don't know of any others.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

We have three species, according to The New Sylva - the dwarf (betula nana) which is rare, the silver birch (betula pendula) and the downy birch (betula pubescens). The birch valuable for timber is known as Karelian birch (from where it originates).
According to John Evelyn birch was "thought to be the worst of timber, yet it has its various uses, as for the husbandman's ox - yoaks; also for hoops, small screws, panniers, brooms, wands, bavin - bands, and wythes for *******; and claims a memory for arrows, bolts, shafts, (our old English artillery also for dishes, bowls, ladles and other domestic utensils."

So now you know.

 

[Kalimna]

Theres a sawmill local-ish to me (Oakley in Fife) that has silver birch from time to time. Interesting looking timber, though i havent used it yet.

Adam

 

[Steve Maskery]

No paper, no paper, to kindle a spark
No matter, no matter, use silver birch bark.

We've silver birch bark, we'll use that instead,
And have us a fire, to light us to bed.

 

[Some bloak]

No paper, no paper, to kindle a spark
No matter, no matter, use silver birch bark.

We've silver birch bark, we'll use that instead,
And have us a fire, to light us to bed.

I like that one, I'll have to try and remember it. I can't imagine birch being a particularly good joinery lumber. I run the house almost entirely on wood in this neck of the woods and there's plenty of Birch around here. It burns fast, too fast really but it's good to mix with heavy duty slower burning hardwood in the wood burners.

 

[Random Orbital Bob]

when spalted it turns beautifully

 

[undergroundhunter]

I seem to recall a forester telling me it was tricky to process in that Birch bark is an excellent moisture barrier (canoes have been made from it), so unless the bark is all stripped away pronto the moisture content stays high and the log rots within.

I can tell you this is very true, in woodlands I walk through more often than not birch trees fall and rot from within leaving the bark in perfect condition, so much so that you could mistake it for a freshly fallen tree.

Birch is great for spoons and other kitchen utensils.

Matt

 

[acewoodturner]

I planked up a 2.5' dia birch a few years ago which was spalted beautifully and kiln dried it. It had fallen over due to stump rot but I still got 3 logs that were 8 feet long. Quite rare to get one that size but I do have my eye on another one that size which is still stand upright in a park. Excellent timber to work with. A lot of my firewood is smaller dia birch though and I just leave it in the round to dry and it doesnt take too long.

 

[heimlaga]

Strange that you haven't learned to utilize birches fully in Britain.

Birchbark was traditionally used to make the small floats along the upper edge fishnets because it doesn't absorb water. Small pebbles were sewn into a pocket of birchbark and tied to the lower edge of the net as sinker.
Birchbark was used for roofing where it lasted for many decades as long as it was protected from wind and sunlight by a layer of small logs which had to be shefted out now and then. In some places they used turf to hold down and protect the bark.
Birchbark was used as a moisture barrier between the sill log and the soil used as floor insulation. It may last up to 150 years in contact with soil.
Birchbark was often used under window sills to keep any leaking water away from the log wall.
Birchbark was used to make rucksacks and small boxes to hold foodstuff.
The Finns further inland made summer shoes from birchbark.

Our birches are the same species as your but they grow slower in our cold climate.
The traditional uses of birch include:
-High end furniture of all sorts
-Axe handles and chisel handles.
-Frame saw frames
-Handsaw handles
-Horse sleds (except the bed itself which was spruce or pine)
-Cart wheels and certain parts for cart frames
-Wheelbarrow frames and wheels
-False keels for fishingboats
-Withies of all sorts.
-Joiner's mallets (though rowan and apple are considered superrior)
-Caulking mallets
-Hand plane bodies and handles (though imported beech is considered superrior)
-Knife and drawknife handles.
-Hayrake heads
-Pitchfork handles and shovel handles
-Brooms and broom handles.
-Wadmel waulks.
-Broommaker's waulks
-Thole pins for fishingboats
-Skis and staves
-Skate bodies (nailed to an iron runner underneath)
-Seal hunting skis
-Gunstocks
-Spinning wheels
-Certain parts for loams though the frame was pine
-Braces for drilling wood
-Blocks for boat rigs and for lifting stuff. The sheaves were usually made from some imported hardwood.
-Gearwheels for windmills and watermills
-Spoons and bowls and plates and ladles for the kitchen.

There are surely many more uses both modern and traditional...... this was just a start.

 

[thetyreman]

I got some silver birch that I am air drying, now I just need to wait at least a year, how long should I wait to let a 30cm piece that's around 2-3 inches thick to air dry? I have sealed the end grain with titebond and removed all bark when it was greenwood back in June of this year. Hoping to use it next year for something interesting.

 

[Racers]

The burrs are really nice, they make good lids or boxes.

Birch Burr and Oak box with flip up lid by Pete Maddex, on Flickr

I have some in the shed that has been seasoning for a few years that lid was a piece, I must get round to using it.

Pete

Pete

 

[MIGNAL]

I want some Birch bark:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HFoFwFaz8HA

 

[heimlaga]

This is how you harvest it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zyH11fqaYYo
Unfortunately not in English but I can translate if there are any key facts you ponder about.

 

[Steve Maskery]

I've suddenly got a lot more respect for Birch.

 

[yetloh]

I bought a piece (about 2"x22x24") of Masur birch some years ago. I think the Masur variety is just the normal species but highly figured. It is stunning and despite really wild grain and lustre it planes beautifully by hand (very sharp blade required) to a lovely silky surface. I really must find a use for it and would love to get more for a nice piece of funiture. Unsurprisingly in view of the latitude it comes from, it is very dense and close grained.

There are more than 50 species of birch from all over the world but Betula pendula (silver birch) is by far the most common in Europe.

Jim

 

[Harbo]

I assume if they only take off the outer bark it will regrow?
But what happens when they remove the inner bark and what do they use that for?
Amazing stuff!

Rod