It is a question that every furniture buyer comes across. Choosing the proper wood for furniture is crucial because it influences the final cost of your unit. Which one to choose for furniture, flooring, and cabinet?
Don’t worry! We have got you covered.
Pine is widely available all over the world and can be handled easily. It’s a great option for a variety of furniture pieces, indoor and outdoor. It’s a low-cost plywood option.
Beech will be the best choice for cabinetry and flooring as it is resistant to scratches and dents.
Understanding the qualities of wood is essential when selecting the best wood for your furniture. We will provide you with all the guides you need. So that you can know which wood species to select for your furniture, flooring, and cabinets, let’s get started.
Related: Pine vs. Maple | Pine vs. Poplar | Pine vs. Walnut | Pine vs. Cedar | Pine vs. Cherry | Oak vs. Pine | Types of Pine Wood | Birch vs. Beech | Poplar vs. Beech | Cedar vs. Beech | Maple vs. Beech | Oak vs. Beech
What is Pine?
Several tree species go by the name Pine (Pinus). Western White Pine, Eastern White Pine, Longleaf Pine, and various other species are among them. They all have nearly identical habits and characteristics.
Their trees are usually 15–45 meters in length.
Pine is noted for its tensile strength and flexibility. It is the most cost-effective building material, and it is used for interior design, furniture, architecture, and construction, among other things. Pine is widely available all around the world.
It is lightweight wood with brown knots that might be yellowish or pale in color. Pinewood is a soft to medium-hard wood with a faster growth rate than beechwood, making it less resistant to peculiarities. Pinewood is mildly antimicrobial and has a scent of essential oils present in the resin.
What is Beech?
Fagus (Beech) is a deciduous tree genus indigenous to temperate Europe, Asia, and North America. Fagus trees have sturdy trunks and bark of silver-gray color. In the summer, the leaf turns a dark green color, and in the fall, it turns a vivid copper color.
The European Beech (Fagus sylvatic) is a well-known timber species that can be found throughout Europe. It’s utilized in the manufacture of lumber, veneer, flooring, boats, and furniture.
It grows slowly and can live for over 300 years. Their wood is extremely durable and resistant to scratches, dents, and bruising due to its slow growth. Beechwood contains incredibly fine pores that are not apparent to the naked eye compared to other woods.
The wood can be polished very smoothly and has a nice feel, and is less sensitive to soiling, thanks to the mix of hardness and tiny pores. When exposed to light, beechwood has a bright yellow-reddish to reddish-brown color that darkens very little. Beech wood’s typical, uniform texture is simple and subtle.
Pine vs. Beech: Differences
| Beech | Pine | |
| Scientific Name | Fagus | Pinus |
| Tree height | 100–130 ft. (30–40 m) tall. | 15–45 m (50–150 ft) tall. |
| Color/Appearance | Pale cream to brown hue color. | Creamy white to yellow(Eastern white pine) |
| Workability | Overall good | Great Workability |
| Uses | Veneer, flooring, boatbuilding, railroad ties, musical instruments. | Furniture, building, construction |
| Availability | Easily Available | Easily Available |
Beech vs. Pine Wood: Appearance
The hue of beech wood ranges from light to reddish. It can take on a pink or brown color at times. The grain is straight and homogeneous in texture. Through a steaming procedure, it can be blackened to a reddish-brown tint.
Pinewood has a yellowish-white to reddish tint, with sapwood ranging from pale yellow to practically white. With time, the color darkens. The grain is straight, with a medium and even texture. The bark of young pine trees is smooth, but it darkens to a reddish-brown tone with age.
Beech vs. Pine Wood: Workability
Workability is an important factor to consider while choosing the perfect wood species for furniture, flooring, and cabinetry.
Beech has overall good workability. It’s incredibly easy to glue, finish, and trim. Beech is well-known for its ability to bend steam. They are simple to work with in terms of tools and machines.
Beech is a good choice for chair legs and backs because of its great turning and curving capabilities. In addition to its hardness, such as scratches when sanding across the grain on the lathe. As a result, low grit hand sandpaper is recommended.
Pine is a medium-weight softwood. So working with both hand and machine tools is simple. Pinewood is easy to nail because of its spongy surface.
Beech vs. Pine Wood: Sustainability
Beech trees have a moderate growth rate. According to US Forest Service statistics, plants planted in northern Pennsylvania took ten years to reach a height of two feet. As a result, we can conclude that Beech is not more sustainable than pine.
Pine is a fast-growing plant with a long lifespan. Trees that develop at a faster rate are more resilient. All sustainable pine species are Eastern White Pine, Radiata Pine, Scots Pine, Maritime Pine, and Ponderosa Pine.
Pine vs. Beech Wood: Which is Better for Furniture?
Pine is typical softwood with a lot of strength. It is substantially lighter, making it much easier to move. Pinewood has a fine, consistent texture and a straight grain. It’s easy to stain or paint because of this, as well as its light hue. When it comes to matching a pine furniture item with existing furniture, you have several options: light or dark, stained, painted, or unfinished.
Beech is not the easiest wood for a craftsman to deal with; beech furniture may be less common than other hardwood furniture. It absorbs a lot of moisture, so it’s no surprise that it’s not suitable for outdoor furniture or use in regions where the air is highly humid.
Pine vs. Beech Wood: Which is Better for Flooring?
Pine is long-lasting and, because it’s relatively easy to cultivate, it’s regarded as one of the more environmentally sustainable wood flooring options. But hardwood flooring is the best, as everyone knows. Beech is a low-cost hardwood with excellent shock resistance, making it ideal for high-traffic areas.
Beech is also quite adaptable, though this does not necessarily increase the value of the flooring. Although Beech has a simple natural appearance, its willingness to take stains is an advantage. As a result, it’s also a fantastic choice for engineered wood flooring.
Pine vs. Beech Wood: Which is Better for Cabinets?
Because of its subtle grain and texture, Beech is preferred among consumers. Beech can be painted or stained. This wood is inexpensive when compared to others because it is sourced from every hemisphere of the globe. Beech allows you to create almost any desired style for your home at a reasonable price.
Pine cabinets are a lovely and timeless option. It works well with both traditional as well as modern designs due to its delicate texture, smooth grain, and soothing hue. But pine isn’t extremely durable.
Conclusion
Both Pine and Beech are excellent choices. For furniture, the best option to opt between these two will be pine as it is versatile, lighter, and it’s easy to stain and paint. When it comes to flooring, both Pine and Beech can be used for flooring, but hardwood floorings are the best, and Beech is a low-cost hardwood and is adaptable.
For cabinets, the best choice will be Beech as it can be painted and stained. Also, it is inexpensive as compared to other hardwoods. It is much more durable than pine. Now we all know which wood species to choose for furniture, flooring, and cabinets.
References:
Real Simple: The Pros and Cons of Different Types of Wood for Furniture
HowStuffWorks: A Guide to Furniture Woods
Aworoweet.com: Is beech wood the best option for furniture?
