Birch is beautiful

Q: Is birch a good furniture wood? I’m familiar with oak and maple, but birch is new to me. My wife and I are looking at a new dining set made of this kind of wood. Will it stand up to meals and homework with a house of kids?

A: Although birch and maple trees look quite different, their wood is very similar. In fact, it’s often hard to tell the difference between birch and maple boards or furniture. That’s why I’m sure you’ll find that a birch table will do a good job for you for many years. It’s quite hard. Here's a tip to further enhance durability: Birch is light in colour, so an unstained finish that includes only lacquer or varnish will age more gracefully than a darkly stained finish that'll show up the inevitable scratches most prominently.