Beech TMT (Thermally modified)
Heat-treated state
Pick for dimensionally stable, decay-resistant cladding or sauna/wet-area parts where reduced toughness is acceptable.
Values for the TMT condition
Other Beech tempers and conditions
Beech is listed in 4 conditions; see the grade overview at Beech.
Compare all 4 conditionsHide
| Condition · open for datasheet | Best for | Yield MPa | Tensile MPa | Elong. % | Hardness | Conductivity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Green / unseasoned | Freshly sawn stock for green woodturning, riving and bending blanks — strength is roughly halved. | — | 70 | 2 | — | 0.3 W/m·K |
TMTThis page Thermally modified | Pick for dimensionally stable, decay-resistant cladding or sauna/wet-area parts where reduced toughness is acceptable. | — | 70 | 0.7 | — | 0.13 W/m·K |
Air-dried, 15–18 % moisture content | Shed-dried stock for outdoor-sheltered joinery or as feedstock before final kilning. | — | 95 | 1.5 | — | 0.19 W/m·K |
KD12Default Kiln-dried, 12 % moisture content | Standard furniture/joinery condition: use for indoor structural, turned and machined parts. | — | 110 | 1.2 | — | 0.16 W/m·K |
What is Beech TMT?
Beech TMT is Beech heat treated to TMT — pick for dimensionally stable, decay-resistant cladding or sauna/wet-area parts where reduced toughness is acceptable. Beech TMT has a tensile strength of 70 MPa (10.2 ksi), stronger than 67% of natural material grades. Elongation at break is 0.7% and the elastic modulus is 13 GPa (1.89 Msi). Beech TMT has a density of 0.65 g/cm³ (0.0235 lb/in³), lighter than 56% of natural material grades. KD12 is the default condition FabDigit quotes; TMT is available on request or by drawing note.
Advantages
- High service temperature — 130°C (266 °F), better than 83% of natural material grades
- Polishes to a fine finish — 78/100, better than 77% of natural material grades
Limitations
- Low fracture toughness — 0.3 MPa·√m (0.273 ksi·√in), worse than 97% of natural material grades
- Limited ductility — 0.7%, worse than 82% of natural material grades
Beech TMT properties
Typical room-temperature values for Beech TMT; 13 are specific to this condition. Other listed values are Beech reference data and may not represent this condition. Bars are the position among natural material grades.
Physical2
Beech TMT has a density of 0.65 g/cm³ (0.0235 lb/in³), lighter than 56% of natural material grades.
Mechanical9
Beech TMT has a tensile strength of 70 MPa (10.2 ksi), stronger than 67% of natural material grades. Elongation at break is 0.7% and the elastic modulus is 13 GPa (1.89 Msi).
Thermal5
Beech TMT is rated for continuous service to 130°C (266 °F). It conducts heat at 0.13 W/m·K (0.0751 BTU/hr·ft·°F), worse than 57% of natural material grades. Thermal expansion is 4 µm/m·K (2.22 µin/in·°F).
Electrical2
Beech TMT is an electrical insulator with a dielectric strength of 4 kV/mm (101.6 V/mil) and a resistivity of 1×10¹⁰ Ω·m.
Chemical & Environmental1
Corrosion resistance is fair (50/100), better than 63% of natural material grades.
Sustainability4
Producing a kilogram of Beech TMT takes about 11 MJ of energy and emits 0.45 kg of CO₂ — more than 56% of natural material grades. Typical recycled content is 5%.
Manufacturability2
Beech TMT's machinability is very good (78/100, worse than 57% of natural material grades).
Values are nominal handbook figures for design screening. Confirm any required mill or lot documentation when quoting.
Working with Beech TMT
Is Beech easy to machine?
Cuts, turns and drills cleanly with carbide or sharp HSS; keep feeds up and tools sharp or the close grain scorches, and expect moderate tool wear from its density.
Can Beech be welded?
Not weldable — joined by PVA/urea-formaldehyde/PU adhesives, dowels, mortise-and-tenon or mechanical fasteners (pre-drill to avoid splitting).
Can Beech be formed, bent or molded?
Best-in-class steam bender: steam ~1 h per 25 mm at 100 °C and bend over a form with a tension strap; also peels well for plywood and moulded seat shells.
What surface finishes work on Beech?
Sands to a very smooth surface and needs no grain filler; takes dye unevenly (blotching) so use a conditioner or gel stain, then lacquer/oil — treat or coat for any damp exposure.
Beech chemical composition (wt %)
Limits by weight percent from the governing specification, written the way the spec states them — a single maximum for impurities, a range for alloying elements, and the base element as balance. Nominal is the typical mid-range value.
| Element | Spec limit (wt %) | Nominal |
|---|---|---|
| celluloseoven-dry basis | 42 – 48 | 45 |
| hemicellulose (mainly xylan)high xylan typical of hardwoods | 27 – 35 | 31 |
| ligninsyringyl-rich hardwood lignin | 20 – 25 | 22 |
| extractiveslow — poor natural durability | 0.5 – 2 | 1.2 |
| ash | 0.3 – 0.8 | 0.5 |
Beech TMT — frequently asked
What is Beech TMT used for?
Beech TMT is typically used for bent furniture (Thonet-style), tool handles, flooring, kitchen worktops and toys. In short: best steam-bending hardwood; even close-grained texture; poor untreated decay resistance.
What is the tensile strength of Beech TMT?
Beech TMT has a typical tensile strength of 70 MPa (10.2 ksi) — stronger than 67% of natural material grades. Strength varies by condition: see the 4 listed tempers.
Is Beech TMT easy to machine?
Yes — machinability is rated very good (78/100, worse than 57% of natural material grades). Cuts, turns and drills cleanly with carbide or sharp HSS; keep feeds up and tools sharp or the close grain scorches, and expect moderate tool wear from its density.
Can Beech TMT be welded?
Not weldable — joined by PVA/urea-formaldehyde/PU adhesives, dowels, mortise-and-tenon or mechanical fasteners (pre-drill to avoid splitting).
What surface finishes work on Beech TMT?
Sands to a very smooth surface and needs no grain filler; takes dye unevenly (blotching) so use a conditioner or gel stain, then lacquer/oil — treat or coat for any damp exposure.
Can Beech TMT be formed, bent or molded?
Best-in-class steam bender: steam ~1 h per 25 mm at 100 °C and bend over a form with a tension strap; also peels well for plywood and moulded seat shells.
What is the maximum service temperature of Beech TMT?
Beech TMT is rated for continuous use to about 130°C (266 °F). Strength falls off well before that limit — check the elevated-temperature data for load-bearing parts.
Sources
- Wood Handbook — Wood as an Engineering Material (FPL-GTR-282) — USDA Forest Products Laboratory (2021)
- EN 13556 — Round and sawn timber: nomenclature of timbers used in Europe (FASY) — CEN (2003)
- EN 350 — Durability of wood and wood-based products — CEN (2016)
- DIN 68364 — Characteristic values of wood species: density, modulus of elasticity, strength — DIN (2003)
- Species property data for Fagus sylvatica (European beech) — Thünen-Institut / Wood Database compilations (2022)
Property data is compiled from published supplier and standards handbooks and normalised for comparison. Nothing on this page is a certification — request mill certs, CoC or material test reports with your order.