But the species named yellow birch is the most common and important commercial lumber birch. It is identified by its bright, yellowish bronze colored bark that peels in long, thin horizontal strips. The wood is very strong, heavy, hard, and stiff with a high resistance to abrasion. It is best worked with machine tools but adapts well to hand tool use, as well. The plain, uniform grain is fine, close and evenly textured, at times found with a curly or wavy pattern.
Yellow birch has a pale white sapwood and a darker reddish brown heartwood.
From canoes to cabinets, wigwams to toothpicks, birch has always had many uses. Native Americans and early settlers, both used its paper thin waterproof bark for house construction, roofing, boat, shoes, writing paper and kindling. Yellow birch wood was and still is used for sturdy furniture, cabinetry, flooring, paneling and interior finishing. Because of its smooth, dense surface texture, yellow birch wood paints, stains, and polishes beautifully. The biggest use of birch, today, is in the plywood market.