Sweet Birch
Betula lenta · Hardwood · North America
Properties
| Janka hardness | 1,470 lbf (6,539 N) |
|---|---|
| Average dried weight (est.) | 41 lb/ft³ (650 kg/m³) |
| Specific gravity | 0.65 |
| Modulus of rupture | 16,900 psi (116.5 MPa) |
| Modulus of elasticity | 2.17 million psi (14.96 GPa) |
| Crushing strength | 8,540 psi (58.9 MPa) |
| Shrinkage — radial | 6.5% |
| Shrinkage — tangential | 9.0% |
| Shrinkage — volumetric | 15.6% |
| Shrinkage T/R ratio | 1.4 |
Values at 12% moisture content, clear-wood averages. Source: USDA Forest Products Laboratory, Wood Handbook FPL-GTR-282 (2021), Table 5–3b p. 5–9; shrinkage Table 4–3 p. 4–8.
Sweet birch grows principally in the Northeast and down the Appalachians to northern Georgia, and with yellow birch it supplies most U.S. birch lumber and veneer. The wood is heavy, hard, and strong, with good shock resistance.
Appearance & grain
Sweet birch has light-colored sapwood and dark brown heartwood tinged with red. Like the other commercial birches, it has a fine, uniform texture.
Workability
The birches are heavy, hard, strong woods with good shock resistance. They shrink considerably in drying, so stock needs careful seasoning.
Common uses
- Furniture
- Boxes
- Baskets
- Crates
- Woodenware
- Cooperage
- Interior woodwork
- Doors
- Veneer
Conservation: IUCN Red List: Least Concern (checked 2026-10-24).
