# European beech

> European beech (Fagus sylvatica) is a pale, fine-grained hardwood with a Janka hardness of 1,450 lbf (6,460 N). It moves a lot with moisture: tangential shrinkage is listed at 11.7% and NWFA's Hardwood Floors Magazine rates its dimensional stability below average [1] [2]. Heat treatment is reported to reduce swelling and shrinkage.

Source page: https://www.misterendgrain.com/species/european-beech/
Updated: 2026-11-03

| Fact | Value |
|---|---|
| Scientific name | Fagus sylvatica (also called Common beech) [1] |
| Janka hardness | 1,450 lbf (6,460 N) [1] |
| Density | 710 kg/m³ (44.3 lbs/ft³) average dried weight; specific gravity 0.53 basic, 0.71 at 12% moisture content [1] |
| Origin | Europe, with a continuous range from southern Scandinavia to the Mediterranean [3] |
| Shrinkage | Radial 5.8%, tangential 11.7%, volumetric 17.9%, T/R ratio 2.0 [1] |
| Dimensional stability | Rated below average; 5.5% radial and 11.9% tangential (green to oven-dried) [2] |

European beech is a pale, hard-wearing European hardwood that is widely used for flooring, but it moves more with moisture than oak or ash. Its Janka hardness is 1,450 lbf (6,460 N), yet its tangential shrinkage of 11.7% and a below-average stability rating mean that fixing, moisture control and board construction deserve attention [1] [2].

## What is European beech?

European beech is *Fagus sylvatica*, also called Common beech. The Wood Database gives its distribution as Europe [1]. EUFORGEN describes a large deciduous tree with a wide, continuous distribution from southern Scandinavia to the Mediterranean, and lists furniture, flooring, firewood and charcoal, and veneer among its timber uses [3].

The Wood Database describes beech as an important and widely used hardwood in Europe, valued for hardness, wear resistance, strength and bending capability, and says wide, long lumber is commonly available [1].

## What colour is beech flooring?

Natural beech is pale. The Wood Database describes a pale straw colour, sometimes with a pink or brown hue, and notes a minute ray fleck on quartersawn surfaces [1]. NWFA's article gives a slightly different picture: heartwood mostly dark to light reddish brown, with sapwood pale white or straw, sometimes pink or brown [2].

Two treatments change the colour. Niemz reports that steamed beech, with its slightly reddish tone, is a fixed segment of the market, and that heat treatment gives a darker tone that customers increasingly ask for and can even out the red heartwood (German: Rotkern). He notes that heat-treated beech is used for furniture and parquet [4].

## How hard and dense is beech?

| Species | Janka hardness | Average dried weight |
|---|---|---|
| European beech (*Fagus sylvatica*) | 1,450 lbf (6,460 N) | 710 kg/m³ |
| European ash (*Fraxinus excelsior*) | 1,480 lbf (6,580 N) | 680 kg/m³ |
| English oak (*Quercus robur*) | 1,120 lbf (4,980 N) | 675 kg/m³ |

All values are from The Wood Database [1] [6] [5]. Beech and [European ash](https://www.misterendgrain.com/species/european-ash/) are close on hardness; both are harder than [European oak](https://www.misterendgrain.com/species/european-oak/). See the [Janka hardness guide](https://www.misterendgrain.com/guides/janka-hardness-explained/) for how to interpret the scale.

## How much does beech move?

Beech is the least stable of the three species in the table below, using The Wood Database's shrinkage figures [1] [6] [5]:

| Species | Radial | Tangential | Volumetric | T/R ratio |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| European beech | 5.8% | 11.7% | 17.9% | 2.0 |
| European ash | 5.7% | 9.6% | 15.3% | 1.7 |
| English oak | 4.7% | 8.4% | 13.0% | 1.8 |

NWFA's Hardwood Floors Magazine rates beech's dimensional stability as below average and gives 5.5% radial and 11.9% tangential, measured from green to oven-dried. The Wood Database's tangential figure (11.7%) is slightly lower; the two sources agree on the overall picture [2] [1]. The Wood Database adds that beech has a large amount of movement in service, so wood stability must be taken into account [1].

In practice, this makes the guidance on [moisture and acclimatisation](https://www.misterendgrain.com/guides/moisture-and-acclimatisation/) especially relevant, as is the guide to [underfloor heating](https://www.misterendgrain.com/guides/underfloor-heating/), where moisture content changes with the heating season.

Niemz reports that heat treatment reduces swelling and shrinkage behaviour to up to 50% of the value for untreated wood, but at a cost: hardness and strength fall and the wood becomes slightly brittle [4].

## How does beech install, sand and finish?

The Wood Database says beech has overall good workability: it machines well and glues, finishes and turns well. It also responds to steam bending [1].

On site, NWFA's article recommends 18-gauge fasteners when nailing beech, warns that tongues can split with staples or excessive compressor pressure, and advises installers to plan for considerable movement. It says beech sands satisfactorily when the proper sequence is followed but may be difficult to stain [2]. If you plan a stained finish, ask your installer to test on offcuts; our guides to [wood floor finishes](https://www.misterendgrain.com/guides/wood-floor-finishes/) and [sanding and refinishing](https://www.misterendgrain.com/guides/sanding-and-refinishing/) explain the options.

Beech is considered non-durable or perishable and has poor resistance to insect attack, so it belongs indoors in dry conditions [1].

## What are the sustainability notes?

The Wood Database states that European beech is not listed in the CITES Appendices [1]. We have not cited a forest-certification figure for beech flooring; if you need certified timber, ask the supplier for FSC or PEFC chain-of-custody documents.

## How does beech compare with other species?

- **[European oak](https://www.misterendgrain.com/species/european-oak/):** softer, with lower tangential shrinkage (8.4% against 11.7%).
- **[European ash](https://www.misterendgrain.com/species/european-ash/):** similar hardness, with lower tangential shrinkage (9.6%).
- **[Hard maple](https://www.misterendgrain.com/species/hard-maple/):** a North American hardwood; see its page for figures.

## Frequently asked questions

### Is beech harder than oak?

On the Janka scale, yes. The Wood Database lists European beech at 1,450 lbf (6,460 N) and English oak at 1,120 lbf (4,980 N) [1] [5].

### How much does beech move compared with oak?

More. The Wood Database lists tangential shrinkage of 11.7% for beech against 8.4% for English oak, and warns that beech has a large amount of movement in service, so stability must be taken into account [1] [5].

### Can beech be nailed without splitting?

NWFA's Hardwood Floors Magazine recommends 18-gauge fasteners for nailing beech and warns that the tongues can split with staples or excessive compressor pressure [2].

### What is the difference between steamed and heat-treated beech?

Steamed beech is an established market segment with a slightly reddish tone. Heat-treated beech is darker, and according to Niemz the treatment reduces swelling and shrinkage behaviour to up to 50% of the untreated value, while lowering hardness and strength and causing slight embrittlement [4].

### Is European beech a protected species?

The Wood Database states that European beech is not listed in the CITES Appendices [1].

## Sources

1. [European Beech](https://www.wood-database.com/european-beech/), The Wood Database, accessed 2026-11-03
2. [Species Specs: Beech](https://hardwoodfloorsmag.com/species-specs-beech/), Hardwood Floors Magazine (NWFA), accessed 2026-11-03
3. [Fagus sylvatica](https://www.euforgen.org/species/fagus-sylvatica), EUFORGEN (European Forest Genetic Resources Programme), accessed 2026-11-03
4. [Verwendungsmöglichkeiten von Buchenholz](https://www.waldwissen.net/de/waldwirtschaft/holz-und-markt/verarbeitung-und-technik/verwendungsmoeglichkeiten-von-buchenholz), waldwissen.net (WSL), after P. Niemz, ETH Zürich, accessed 2026-11-03
5. [English Oak](https://www.wood-database.com/english-oak/), The Wood Database, accessed 2026-11-03
6. [European Ash](https://www.wood-database.com/european-ash/), The Wood Database, accessed 2026-11-03