Birch Tree Species
The Birch Tree is recognized as the official National Tree of Russia, where it is worshiped as a goddess annually at the Green Week Festival. The Yellow Birch is one Birch Species that is native to the North Eastern region of America, in places such as the Québec Province in Canada and the states of Minnesota and Georgia in the East coast of the United States. It can reach up to 80 feet in height and can reach a width of up to 30 feet. The Birch trunk size can grow up to 4 feet in diameter. The Birch Tree life longevity is usually around 150 years, but it can reach up to 300 years in age in certain cases Birch Species
Botanical Name: Betula spp.
Country of Origin: Russia and certain areas of North America.
Species and Names: Yellow Birch (betula alleghaniensis), Sweet Birch (betula lenta) and Paper Birch (betula papyrifera)
Look and Color: The sapwood look of the yellow Birch species may look slightly like that of the Maple color tree species. It has a very light color, which varies from a creamy yellow to an ashen white. The heartwood of the Birch is a bit more reddish in color, with a brown tinged and a light red color. The Sweet Birch has a darker brownish color within its heartwood, while the wood itself has a light color similar to that of the yellow Birch species. The yellow Birch is the most used Birch species within the Hardwood Flooring Industry and contains a great variation in its grain and color pattern. This is what makes it so unique and desired by a wide variety of homeowners and installers.
Grain Texture: Most Birch trees come with an even, straight texture. On the other hand, some Birch boards may possess a curly grain texture and wavy figuring. These two qualities simply show the great versatility this species has when it comes to Grain texture and pattern.
Hardness and Strength: The Yellow Birch received a score of 1260 on the Janka Hardness Rating, which is slightly softer (by 2% percent) than the industry standard species, Red Oak. On the Dimensional Stability Test, the Birch Wood received an average score of 9.5, which is about 10% less than the Industry Standard Red Oak species.
Uses in the Wood Industry: Birch is known to be a very heavy, strong and durable wood species. The Birch wood has a lot of uses within the wood industry and it can be seen as birch wood cabinets, wood furniture and of course Birch Hardwood Floors. Birch Wood is also used to make toothpicks.
Red Oak Species
The Red Oak Tree, also known as “The Champion Oak”, is the most common tree in North America. The Red Oak name derives from the Latin word Quercus, which stands for “a fine tree”. In forests, the Red Oak tree can grow up to 140 feet high, with an average trunk diameter of 3 feet and a maximum diameter of 6 feet. The Red Oak wood is a well known species within the Hardwood industry and is one of the leaders within its class. The Red Oak is also recognized as the official state tree of New Jersey and Iowa.
Botanical Name: Quercus spp. (Red Oak Wood Family).
Country of Origin: Northeastern areas of the United States and the southeast areas of Canada.
Species and Names: Northern Red Oak (Quercus rubra) is the most common name for this Hardwood, but there are many species with a variety of names. There are more than 200 Red Oak species only in the United States!
Look and Color: The Northern Red Oak wood has a very warm, comforting color. The red oak sapwood has a light reddish color and is very similar to the White Oak Hardwood, but with a greater hint of pink within the red color. The heartwood of red oak is slightly darker, but still has the light red color of the red oak wood. The Red Oak Wood species also has a great amount of color variation within its pattern, giving a versatile look to your home, office or working environment.
Grain Texture: The Red Oak Wood has more open, coarser grain texture than its White Oak counterpart. Red Oak Wood has a very porous surface, which may even seem like tiny holes when looking at it unfinished. The Northern Red Oak wood appearance is more similar to that of the White Oak Hardwood, with a slightly less pronounced figure.
Hardness and Strength: The Northern Red Oak is the Hardwood standard on the Janka Durability Test. Every other species is compared based on the Northern Red Oak score of 1290. On the Dimensional Stability Test the Northern Red Oak species received an average score of 8.6.
Uses in the Wood Industry: The Red Oak Wood is present in almost every area of the Hardwood Industry. It is one of the most important, if not the most important tree within the timber production Industry in North America. Red Oak Hardwood is the largest hardwood flooring industry within the United States occupying 36.6% of the entire Hardwood market. Besides Red Oak Hardwood Flooring, it’s possible to find Red Oak furniture, cabinets and even railroads.