European Oak in Culver City, CA
Posted on
6/3/2022
European White Oak (Quercus robur) is indigenous to the majority of Europe including areas like France, Germany, Finland, Ukraine and Romania. Quercus is the Latin family name for all oaks; robur means robust and refers to the strength of this species of wood.
European White Oak (Quercus robur) is indigenous to the majority of Europe including areas like France, Germany, Finland, Ukraine and Romania. Quercus is the Latin family name for all oaks; robur means robust and refers to the strength of this species of wood.
A temperate hardwood, it has deep roots and favors heavy, wet soils and full sun at lower to moderate elevations. It grows to 65 - 130' in height with trunks that are generally 15 - 30" in diameter. European oaks typically grow pretty rapidly 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 approximately three centuries or so. This slow maturation creates a fine, tight grain revered for wine barrels and flooring. European White Oak is a particularly heavy and sturdy wood. The fact that it is so hard makes a lovely and long lasting wood floor. It also does not expand or contract a lot in response to weather conditions. Since it has relatively thin sap timber (.4 - 1.5"), it provides particularly long and wide boards.
This species of oak measures approximately 1360 on the Janka hardness rating which shows a wood's relative hardness when compared to other kinds of wood. European White Oak generally has a tighter grain, smaller growth rings, and more uniform shade than American White Oak (Quercus alba). It varies in color from light brown to a rich, dark brown. Perhaps most commonly, it's a warm honey color.
It reacts especially well to various finishing methods, including fuming. Fuming is the process of exposing timber 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 produces a rich, deep color comparable to walnut.
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