European Oak in Palos Verde CA
Posted on
10/12/2022
European White Oak (Quercus robur) is indigenous to the majority of Europe including places 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 places 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 prefers heavy, wet soils and full sun at lower to moderate altitudes. It grows to 65 - 130' in height with trunks that are typically 15 - 30" in diameter. European oaks generally grow pretty rapidly for the first 80 - 120 years. After that, their growth gradually slows down. Along the way, the tree grows from a slender sapling with smooth bark to a deeply fissured, rough-barked tree of remarkable girth. Decline begins setting in after around three centuries or so. This slow maturation creates a fine, tight grain admired for wine barrels and flooring. European White Oak is a particularly heavy and strong wood. The fact that it is so hard makes a lovely and durable wood floor. It also doesn't expand or contract a lot in reaction to weather conditions. Since it has fairly thin sap timber (.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 timber. European White Oak usually 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. Probably most commonly, it's a warm honey color.
It reacts particularly well to different finishing methods, including fuming. Fuming is the process of exposing wood to ammonia gas in a sealed chamber. This process demands a timber, like European White Oak, that is high in tannins. Fumed European White Oak creates a rich, deep color similar to walnut.
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