Arrested Development - Ex-Pats Mexico

Because Tío asked what kind of wood my cabinets were made from I remembered to ask the cabinet maker again. He is an American from New York state and said that it is called Haya at the lumber place and that the dictionary says that is Beech. He says it is not the same Beech that he used for years in New York. So, I am now wondering what it is. I've found this before with trees, the names used here if looked up in a dictionary are not the correct tree. I decided it is because most ES/EN dictionaries are using words from Spain. The tree that grows on our neighbors wall and shades much of our yard, is called an Alamo by all the workers and the architect. It's in the dictionary as a Poplar but no, it is a banyon or strangler fig. So, I'm wondering if this is the same and if anyone knows what this wood is?

'haya' wood... ?

The American Beech Fagus grandifolia is a species of beech native to eastern North America, from Nova Scotia west to southern Ontario in southeastern Canada, west to Wisconsin and south to eastern Texas and northern Florida in the United States. Trees in the southern half of the range are sometimes distinguished as a variety, F. grandifolia var. caroliniana, but this is not considered distinct in the Flora of North America. A related beech native to the mountains of central Mexico is sometimes treated as a subspecies of American Beech, but more often as a distinct species, Mexican Beech [*] Fagus mexicana.

[*] called ‘haya’ in mexico...

Beech from Germany is being marketed in Mexico. I imagine that is what he is using. Like you say Jonna, woods can have local names that differ from their commercial names. Poplar in the US can come from several different species from genuine poplar to aspen to cottonwood. The alamo tree here in Jalisco is a type of cottonwood.

I use a lot of spanish cedar, (cedrela odorata) but they are now selling a very similar looking wood from S. America called cedro real. Mahoganies are the same way. Caoba, caobilla, cobano etc.

I would be careful with your new beech cabs. If the wood is untreated it is very susceptible to insect attack and subteranean termites are a big problem in the tropics. They will go through the tiniest crack in walls and floors and especially love following the electrical conduit through the walls and exiting at power outlets. You are, I'm sure, familiar with their mud tunnels climbing all over walls.

They make a treatment for wood you can buy at the paint stores. I don't remember the name of it though. It will help repel insects, apply once a year or twice. Maybe somebody else has used this product. Our architect suggested it prior to applying the shiney stuff .

I'll bet that it is a German beech. I'll tell Terrence and see what he thinks. I meant to go and take some pics of the cabinets that aren't stained, the raw wood, but I forgot. I'll put another pic of it after stain and varnish. He says that he is very impressed with the quality of the furniture plywood he is using for the bases and that they are treated. He doesn't think there will be any termite problems nor have there been any so far with his other installations. I have seen the termite trails and would certainly react if I saw them in this house. They did find evidence of termites at the bottom of the original wood door frames, they cut under them and treated the bottoms before replacing the floors. Hopefully this will keep them safe for another 100+ years, they are cedro.

I really like the grain on this wood.

It may sound like "Haya" but they are actually saying "Playa".

Beech = Beach?? That would be an odd coincidence. Look up Haya, it translates to Beech. Or, now that I realize it is you Arbon and you're probably joking, more like Beeeeeeeeech.

Tamal, here's a picture of the Haya without stain, just sanded. The large piece is the veneer and the smaller one is a solid piece. The two look a little different, the board is lighter than the veneer but they both look the same when stained.

My cabinet maker here is interested in any ideas you have about this wood. He has only lived in Mexico for a couple years but he has been a cabinet maker in New York for over 20 years.

Jonna, my only concern with the wood is its susceptibilty to termites.

Your cabinetmaker may be familiar with alder. Beech is sometimes used as a substitute. The main difference is that beech is harder. They also sell alder here in Guadalajara so he needs to make sure they don't try to give him that instaed of beech.

The difference in color between the ply's veneer and the solid stock is not unusal. Freshly milled lumber is usually a lighter shade that darkens with UV exposure. They steam European beech in the drying process to darken the wood. That may be part of the reason your guy finds it diffent than the stuff in NY.

Termites are a big concern, we're battling them now in the original ceiling beams*. He has been told that the Haya is a relatively resistant wood, plus he treats it with something and the structure behind it is treated as well. He's used this wood on cabinets in his house and several others here in Mérida without termite problems so far. There is no pine, oak or other softwood used.

*We saw these spider web looking strands coming down from the wood beams after they were painted. The exterminator came and did something to treat them and they are taking out a couple pieces that are really rotten. That was 3 weeks ago, today I saw there are a few new strands already. My take is that the stuff they are using isn't working too well if they are back this quickly. There was no sign of them before the renovation, no trails or columns coming down. Why they have appeared after the wood was painted is a mystery. The beams cross between the railroad tracks that were used as support beams in colonial houses in Mérida. The ones in my house are at least 100 yo, probably more. They are cedro it appears but, while it is very resistant to termites, it isn't immune.

There are apparently at least 4 types of termites here, I saw some the other day at another house that looked like large odd-shaped red ants. They were termites but that size. Plus, they were moving in groups across the concrete floor to various pieces of wood furniture. There are others that fly and some that come in from the ground. The abundance of insects in the tropics is limitless.