European Oak in La Jolla, CA
Posted on
3/23/2022
European White Oak (Quercus robur) is indigenous to most of Europe including areas 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 indigenous to most of Europe including areas 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 sun at lower to moderate altitudes. It grows to 65 - 130' in height with trunks that are usually 15 - 30" in diameter. European oaks generally grow fairly rapidly for the first 80 - 120 years. After that, their growth gradually slows down. Along the way, the tree grows from a slim sapling with smooth bark to a deeply fissured, rough-barked tree of remarkable girth. Decline starts setting in after about three centuries or so. This slow maturation results in a fine, tight grain revered for wine barrels and flooring. European White Oak is a particularly heavy and strong timber. The fact that it is so hard makes an attractive and long lasting wood floor. It also doesn't expand or contract much in response to weather conditions. Because it has fairly thin sap wood (.4 - 1.5"), it provides especially long and wide boards.
This species of oak measures about 1360 on the Janka hardness rating which describes a wood's relative hardness when compared to other types of timber. European White Oak generally has a tighter grain, smaller growth rings, and more even color than American White Oak (Quercus alba). It varies in color from light brown to a rich, dark brown. Perhaps most often, it's a warm honey color.
It responds particularly well to various finishing methods, including fuming. Fuming is the process of exposing wood to ammonia gas in a sealed chamber. This process requires a wood, like European White Oak, that is high in tannins. Fumed European White Oak produces a rich, deep color similar to walnut.
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