European Oak in Brentwood, CA
Posted on
8/9/2022
European White Oak (Quercus robur) is native to much of Europe including places like France, Germany, Finland, Ukraine and Romania. Quercus is the Latin family name for all oaks; robur means robust and describes the strength of this species of wood.
European White Oak (Quercus robur) is native to much of Europe including places like France, Germany, Finland, Ukraine and Romania. Quercus is the Latin family name for all oaks; robur means robust and describes the strength of this species of wood.
A temperate hardwood, it has deep roots and favors heavy, wet soils and full sunlight at lower to moderate elevations. It grows to 65 - 130' in height with trunks that are generally 15 - 30" in diameter. European oaks normally grow pretty quickly for the first 80 - 120 years. After that, their growth gradually slows down. Along the way, the tree develops from a slim sapling with smooth bark to a deeply fissured, rough-barked tree of impressive girth. Decline starts setting in after about three centuries or so. This slow maturation results in a fine, tight grain valued for wine barrels and flooring. European White Oak is a particularly heavy and strong timber. The fact that it is so hard makes a beautiful and long lasting wood floor. It also doesn't expand or contract much in response to weather conditions. Because it has relatively thin sap wood (.4 - 1.5"), it yields particularly long and wide boards.
This species of oak measures approximately 1360 on the Janka hardness rating which describes a timber's relative hardness when compared to other kinds of wood. European White Oak generally has a tighter grain, smaller growth rings, and more uniform color than American White Oak (Quercus alba). It ranges in color from light brown to a rich, dark brown. Perhaps most commonly, it's a warm honey color.
It reacts particularly well to various finishing techniques, including fuming. Fuming is the process of exposing wood to ammonia gas in a sealed chamber. This process demands a wood, like European White Oak, that is high in tannins. Fumed European White Oak creates a rich, deep color comparable to walnut.
.webp)
