using beech out doors

[Dave Bureau]

Does anyone know how beech holds up outdoors?

[Alan Jones]

Not classed as a durable timber, so despite being readily available and relatively affordable it is not used outdoors over here in England.

[Frank Drew]

I think Alan is probably correct; I've never seen it used for outdoors work, although a great many inexpensive wood kitchen utensils are beech (look for the telltale fine flecking) so it's not like it totally falls apart at the first drop of water. Left fully immersed in water it will crack, of course, like a lot of woods.

[george wilson]

Beech spalts quickly,and is not at all a good choice. I've cut down a lot of it,and you can't let the logs lay for long. Most of the tools I made were beech.

[Alan Jones]

As George mentioned it is extensively used for tools and is the prefered timber for workbenches. Also as Frank noted it is often used for Kitchen utensils and is very popular for Kitchen worktops over here.

[Howard Acheson]

The Forest Product Labs Wood Handbook classifies beech as "Slightly or nonresistant" to decay. In other words it is not a wood that will stand outdoor exposure well.

What do you want to do?