Oak – the king of trees. Use in furniture production
Oak – majestic, right? When we think of an oak tree, we think of something beautiful, long-lived and majestic. In the beliefs of primitive peoples, oak was even considered the first tree – its crown reached up to the gods in heaven, and its roots were supposed to reach down to hell. The oak was considered the tree of the gods in Greek and Roman mythology, as well as in our own Slavic mythology – it was the tree of Perkun, the thunderer and god of heaven. To this day we appreciate the power of this tree, and our language has established such expressions and comparisons as “strong as an oak”, “great as an oak”, etc. This robust and beautiful tree can be found in the lowlands, river valleys and meadows. It can also be found in coniferous or deciduous forests.
- Oak – noble and well-known for centuries
Did you know that the average life span of an oak tree is almost 700 years? We have many such specimens in England, which have witnessed many English battles, victories and defeats, the so-called silent witnesses of our history. We can distinguish even 200 different species of oak all over the world, and here in the United Kingdom, there are 6 of them. Oakwood is valued and used in furniture making, but also in boatbuilding (building and repairing boats, ships, yachts, etc.) and industry. When it comes to furniture production, 3 types of oak – sessile oak, pedunculate oak and red oak – are used in this industry.
Oak in furniture produce
Probably everyone has dreamt at least once of having furniture and floors made of oak wood in their home. This wood is the ultimate in elegance, prestige, strength and durability. The very structure of oak wood is the quintessence of natural beauty – from the colour through the grain, knots, core rays to the smell.
Oak is so often used in furniture making precisely because of its beautiful appearance and structure, but also because of its high resistance to abrasion and hardness. It is the most durable of all European wood species, which is why it is so expensive and so valued.
A characteristic feature of oak wood is its knots – they are usually small or medium-sized, dark in colour and perfectly enrich the grain of the wood – whether on furniture or as a floorboard. If we want to talk about the disadvantages of oak, we can mention the fact that it is quite difficult to process – but this can be handled very well by experienced and creative woodworkers.
Who suits oak furniture?
We can say, in general, that oak furniture will fit into many arrangements – it all depends on how it is made. We associate oak furniture with harmony, peace and safety – it’s perfect for bedrooms, living rooms and home offices or bookcases. They can be used to make literally any piece of furniture – bookcases, chests of drawers, beautiful tables, display cases, beds, wardrobes, chairs, cupboards, etc. Although they are most often associated with classic or even rustic interiors, they can successfully furnish a modern kitchen, dining room or living room – it all depends on our vision and creativity of a good carpenter.
