European Oak

Colour / Appearance – Heartwood is a light to medium brown, commonly with an olive cast, though there can be a fair amount of variation in color. Nearly white to light brown sapwood is not always sharply demarcated from the heartwood. Quartersawn sections display prominent ray fleck patterns.

Grain and Texture – Grain is straight, with a coarse, uneven texture. May have irregular or interlocked grain depending on growing conditions of the tree.

End grain – Ring-porous; 2-4 rows of large, exclusively solitary earlywood pores, numerous small to very small latewood pores in radial arrangement; tyloses abundant; growth rings distinct; rays large and visible without lens; apotracheal parenchyma diffuse-in-aggregates (short lines between rays).

Rot Resistant – European Oak has been rated as having very good resistance to decay, and is commonly used in boatbuilding applications.

Workability – Produces good results with hand and machine tools. Can react with iron (particularly when wet) and cause staining and discoloration. Responds well to steam-bending. Glues, stains, and finishes well.

Odor – Has a tell-tale smell that is common to most oaks. Most find it appealing.

Allergies – Although severe reactions are quite uncommon, oak has been reported as a Sensitizer. Usually most common reactions simply include eye and skin irritation, as well as asthma-like symptoms.

Sustainability – This wood species is not listed in the CITES Appendices, and is reported by the IUCN as being a species of least concern.

Common Uses – Cabinetry, furniture, interior trim, flooring, boatbuilding, barrels, and veneer.

Comments –  One of the most famous European Oak trees, The Major Oak, is a massive tree located in Sherwood Forest, in Nottinghamshire. The tree is estimated to be approximately 1,000 years old, and is purported to have been a common hideout for Robin Hood and his outlaws.