| Name | Paper Birch (Betula papyrifera) |
| Type | Hardwood. |
| Other Names | Also known as canoe birch, red birch, silver birch, white birch, Canadian white birch and Kenai birch. |
| Sources | Grows in Canada and northern United States. |
| Appearance | Straight grained with a fine, even texture. Pale-brown heartwood and creamy white sapwood. |
| Physical Props | Moderately hard and heavy (lighter than other birches) with moderate shock resistance, stiffness and bending strength. Poor decay resistance and dimensional stability. |
| Working Props | Machines fairly well although it sometimes chips and tears during planing. Has moderate blunting effect on cutting edges. Excellent turning properties. Glues, stains and finishes satisfactorily. Susceptible to splitting – pre-drilling recommended for screws. |
| Uses | Once used by American Indians to make canoes, now mainly used for plywood. Other uses include turnery – spools, bobbins, dowels and novelties, crates, toys, cooperage, baskets, ice cream spoons, medical spatulas, veneer, paneling, and pulp for writing paper. |
| Comments | Resembles maple and is often used interchangeably with it. |
