Following on with our timber spotlight series, we’re taking a look this time at the beauty of beech, and the charm of cherry and how they make perfect natural wood veneers.
Beech Veneers
Beech, known by its scientific name of Fagus sylvatica, is one of the most popular trees found in UK woodland. Growing as tall as 40 metres and living several hundreds of years, the beech tree is known as the ‘queen of British trees’.
Throughout history beech trees were always thought to have medicinal properties and to this day beech essential oil is used in aromatherapy to boost hope and confidence.
Beech timber is incredibly popular in furniture making, producing fine natural wood veneers. It is also used in the making of sports equipment as well as cooking utensils and tool handles. Because the wood burns well, it also works well as fuel and is used traditionally for herring smoking.
Our veneers A-Z offers up four different options for beech. These include crown white beech which is, contrary to its name, more of a tan colour; straight grain white beech which is slightly lighter than the crown cut version and displays a much finer grain; crown cut steamed beech which is several degrees up the orange-brown scale, and its partner, straight grain steamed beech which is roughly the same shade but with smoother lines.
Beech veneers are widely used for bedroom or dormitory fitted furniture and hotel interiors because they are neutral and blend well with a wide range of decorative styles. Beech also gives a natural, clean finish and is very durable.
Cherry Veneers
The cherry tree, Prunus avium, is a popular sight across the UK and Europe, often found in parks, gardens and avenues and delighting passers-by with its glorious spring blossom and summer fruits.
The resin of the cherry tree trunk was used throughout history as a cough linctus and sometimes dissolved in wine and given as a cure for gall stones and kidney stones. In Scotland, where the cherry tree is known as gean, Highland folklore dictated that to come across such a tree was considered fortunate.
The wild cherry tree is particularly attractive and makes a fantastic addition to any wildlife garden thanks to its abundance of pollen, nectar and of course, sweet fruits.
Cherry wood is hard, robust and fine-grained and therefore a very important timber in furniture making. Its eye-catching burls add character, making this wood exceptionally sought-after. Cherry wood is often used to craft top-end, bespoke cabinetry. Its deep brown colour polishes to a brilliant shine, making it perfect for decorative natural wood veneers.
If you take a look at our natural wood veneers A-Z list you’ll see six different options for cherry. American cherry in straight grain or crown cut is a fairly light coloured timber with prominent grain. European cherry in crown cut tends to have more substance to it, and in straight grain the patterning is particularly elegant. Figured European cherry offers something of an intriguing finish with a beautiful fishbone effect running through both the straight grain and crown cut versions.
Natural Wood Veneers for Your Project
So there you have even more insight into the beauty of some of the most widely loved timbers used for natural wood veneering.
If you would like to learn more about the art of incorporating natural wood veneers into your interior design or furniture making projects, we welcome you to get in touch for expert advice on choosing the right timbers and cut and match methods so that you can achieve the ultimate finish.
