What Makes Oak Such a Popular Material?
If you are looking to get a hardwood floor, there is a certain type of timber which they will offer you almost everywhere.
Oak. Why Oak? Why not ash or maple or walnut, for example? Is there anything that makes oak truly special as a flooring material? We are going to take an in-depth look at solid oak flooring and determine what makes it so popular across the world and UK.
Oak Trees
The three most popular types of oak used in the flooring industry are the red (Quercus rubra), white (Quercus alba) and European oak (Quercus Robur). What qualities make those specimens so desirable? More importantly, what is the difference between different oak types?
Hardness. According to the Janka test, white oak has a rating of 1,360 lbf, his red cousin around 1,290 lbf and our European (English) oak 1,120 lbf. The numbers alone mean little if we don’t compare them to other popular wood types like black walnut (1,010 lbf) or cherry (995 lbf).
Resistance and durability. Oak floors are not likely to split, a serious threat to any floor consistently exposed to the elements and changes in temperature. Both red and white oak are dense, stiff, hardwearing and with high shock resistance.
Unique properties. White oak, in particular, has a high concentration of tannic acid. This allows it to successfully repel most types of fungi and insects. As you can imagine this is very useful quality for any floor.
Staining. One of the most stylish stain choices today is grey. And this particular colour turns out incredibly well on white oak flooring. If you care to have the most fashionable look in your house why not combine stain and wood that work well together?
European Oak Flooring
The common mistake people often make is to confuse our English (European) oak with its cousins native to Northern America. While both American and English oaks are classified as 'white' there are subtle differences which matter if you are after a particular look.
Tone and colour. European trees are more consistently even in colour tone compared to their cousins across the sea. In addition, American oak tends to be lightly coloured with a touch of pink while our timber is darker but with warmer, golden shades.
Grain. English oak has wavier grain while the foreign alternative has a bit of subtler and straighter patterns.
Smoking. Those who aim for more unique and warmer visuals can decide to darken the wood with ammonia fumes. European oak produces better results in this regard while American Oak is less consistent.
Solid Oak Floors
Solid oak flooring is created from a single piece of wood with a usual thickness of around 20mm. For many people, solid oak has become the epitome of high-quality, durability and style. Being both practical and fashionable you can expect it isn’t among the cheapest options on the market. On the other hand, you purchase a product which can possibly even outlive you thus making this flooring eco-friendly and sustainable product. Isn’t this what we all want? Something that really lasts when we spend our hard-earned money on it and reducing our waste?
When NOT to get Solid Oak?
Purely as a flooring material, oak has no real downsides. It is very stable and doesn’t expand or contract as much when temperature changes occur. This is one of the reasons it has been used for the building of ships and boats for centuries. If someone in your family suffers from allergies, solid oak collects less dust than most other alternatives.
Solid wood, however, as a flooring type doesn’t take well to high moisture levels. This makes it unsuitable for kitchens and bathrooms. If you have problems with humidity you may want to consider engineered oak floor which will show better overall resistance.
In the end, a solid oak floor is a perfect solution for almost any situation. It’s no wonder that many organisations have adopted the oak as their symbol because the tree represents longevity and endurance. If those are the qualities you seek in your floor, go oak!