What this means in plain English: Beech moves a lot — a 24-inch flatsawn board will grow and shrink about 0.76 inches across its width between a humid summer and a dry winter. For wide panels over 12 inches, lean on quartersawn stock to keep it flat.
How much it moves at common board widths
Find the width of your board on the left. Find your expected moisture swing along the top (8% is typical for a heated/cooled house; 12% is typical outdoors or in a shop without climate control). The number inside the table is how many inches the board will grow and shrink across its width. That’s your slot size.
| Board width | Δ4% MC | Δ6% MC | Δ8% MC | Δ12% MC |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 in | 0.095" | 0.143" | 0.191" | 0.286" |
| 12 in | 0.191" | 0.286" | 0.381" | 0.572" |
| 18 in | 0.286" | 0.429" | 0.572" | 0.858" |
| 24 in | 0.381" | 0.572" | 0.762" | 1.143" |
| 36 in | 0.572" | 0.858" | 1.143" | 1.715" |
How to use it: find your board width in the left column and the expected moisture content change across the top. The cell is the total inches of cross-grain expansion and contraction you should plan for — elongated slots, breadboard clearances, and panel gaps all come from this number.
About Beech
- Color
- Pale cream to pinkish brown, darkens with exposure.
- Grain
- Straight, fine to medium uniform texture with prominent rays.
- Workability
- Machines well, excellent for steam bending and turning.
- Durability
- Low decay resistance, prone to insect attack.
- Common uses
- Furniture, flooring, turning, workbenches.
- Typical price
- $4-8/bf
- Specific gravity
- 0.64 (oven-dry)
- Modulus of elasticity
- 1,720 × 1,000 psi
The math, explained once
Three numbers multiplied together. That’s it.
width (in) × coefficient × ΔMC (%) = movement (in)
- Width is how wide the board is, measured across the grain.
- Coefficient is the number at the top of this page (tangential 0.00397 for flatsawn, radial 0.00190 for quartersawn).
- ΔMC is how many percentage points the moisture content will change between seasons. Indoor heated spaces: around 8. Shops, garages, or outdoor pieces: 10–14.
These coefficients come from the USDA Forest Products Laboratory and published wood science data. Dead On uses the same numbers on iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watch — your shop math matches your field math.
Calculate Beech movement in your project
Dead On has this species built in, alongside 29 others — with visual diagrams for dovetails, box joints, mortise & tenon, and more.
Download Dead On — FreeFrequently asked questions about Beech
How much does Beech move seasonally?
A 24" wide flatsawn Beech board will move about 0.76" across the grain with an 8% change in moisture content (typical indoor seasonal swing). The tangential coefficient is 0.00397 per 1% MC change, the radial coefficient is 0.00190.
Is Beech stable enough for wide tabletops?
Beech is moderately stable. The tangential-to-radial ratio is 2.09 (lower is more stable; values under 2.0 are ideal for wide panels). For the most stable results, use quartersawn stock or breadboard ends with elongated slots for seasonal movement.
What is Beech typically used for?
Furniture, flooring, turning, workbenches.
Is Beech a hardwood or softwood?
Beech is a hardwood. Its Janka hardness rating is 1300 lbf and specific gravity is 0.64.
Species with similar movement
Hardwoods with tangential coefficients closest to Beech’s 0.00397. If your project plan calls for Beech but availability is tight, these behave most like it through the seasons.