One of the most recognizable and desired woods, Oak's remarkable strength and hardness is unquestioned within the woodworking community. For centuries, the countless varieties of this hardwood have carved their way into history, serving as planking for Viking longships and interior panelling for the debating chamber of the House of Commons,whilst its branches even circle the coat of arms of Estonia. But when it comes to carpentry, joinery and the like, why is this particular lumber so marvellous? For this entry of the Woodshop Direct blog, we present a comprehensive list of all the advantage of oak timber in woodworking.
The qualities of oak woodwork extend beyond its great strength and hardness, however. Whether you're making wine, brandy or Scotch whisky, the various French and American oak barrels each add a different dimension to what's distilled, and can even be charred beforehand to contribute to the colour, taste and aroma of the contents. Oak chips are also used for smoking meat, fish and cheese, and the higher density of Japanese oak makes it easy to see why it's used by Yahama Drums to give their kits a brighter and louder tone.
Planed All Round European Oak Timber | Planed All Round American White Oak Timber |
Aside from its strength, oak has various natural qualities that favour it for use in interior environments. It's high content of tannin (a polyphenic compound that protects oak trees from predation) gives the wood a mighty resistance to insects and fungi, whilst its impermeability to water also makes it much more suitable for boatbuilding than other hardwoods. Because it is water resistant, applying a varnish or clear finish helps make the wood impervious to staining, fading or cracking due to dryness.
Lastly, oak stands as one of the most environmentally friendly woods available. Requiring no chemical treatment or industrial reprocessing, the process of oak wood production is remarkably straight-forward, whilst the slabs of oak timber can also be reused and recycled as need be.
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