Birches can reach a height of 22 m. with a diameter of more than 600 mm. The wood varies slightly among species.The wood of yellow birch and sweet birch is heavy, hard and strong, While that of paper birch is lighter, and less hard, strong and stiff. All birches have a fine, uniform texture; paper birch is easy to work with hand tools and difficult to glue, but easily machined. Yellow birch has light -colored sapwood and dark brown heartwood tinged with red.