Today, birch bark remains a popular type of wood for various handicrafts and arts. Birch bark also contains substances of medicinal and chemical interest. Some of those products (such as betulin) also have fungicidal properties that help preserve bark artifacts, as well as food preserved in bark containers.

Common uses and applications Paper birch is widely used for lumber, veneer, plywood and pulpwood. Furniture, cabinets, flooring and other millwork are made from high-value birch lumber and veneers. The species is a favourite of the wood turning industry for everything from broom handles and dowels to toys and crafts.

As a pioneer species, birch are sometimes the only trees growing in an open area, and thus can be bombarded by sunlight all day-long in winter. It's thin, peeling, curly, white bark reflects the majority of the sun and heat away for the tree, greatly reducing sunscald damage risk.

Each piece of bark is composed of many thin layers (one produced by the tree each year).