European Oak

Quercus robur

Also known as: English Oak, French Oak, Pedunculate Oak, Sessile Oak

Appearance

The heartwood is light to medium brown, often carrying a soft olive cast, while the sapwood is paler and close to white. The grain is usually straight with a coarse, uneven texture, and quarter-sawn boards show the distinctive ray fleck, sometimes called silver grain. Colour and figure vary between boards, which is part of its character. Its open grain and tannin content also make it a popular base for fumed, limed and stained finishes.

Workability

European Oak machines cleanly and holds crisp detail, though its density can make hand-tool work harder going. It glues, stains and finishes well and is dimensionally stable once dried. The high tannin content can react with iron fittings and some adhesives, so care with fixings is worthwhile.

Common Uses