Oak

Oak was one of the first hardwoods used for furniture making and was the wood of choice for Gothic furniture and wainscoting in the Middle Ages. It remained popular throughout the seventeenth century until walnut began to supersede its use in the early 18^th century. The debating chamber of the House of Commons in London is made from oak.

Oak’s popularity was (and is) probably because it grows so abundantly both in Europe (and in the United States). Although there’s over 600 species of the genus Quercus, it is the red (Q. rubra a.k.a. borealis) and white oak (Q. alba) most commonly used for furniture. White oak has longer rays and is more durable and was traditionally more commonly used in ship building, including the classic man-of-war ships of England. This is because the white oak has membranous growth called tyloses that plugs the pores of the heartwood, making it impenetrable to liquid, unlike red oak. Red oak was also used in railroad ties, wagon wheels and flooring.

There are also less common furniture oaks, particularly in English furniture, such as the Riger, Pippy, Burr and Bog oaks. By the way, the French oaks (Quercus Robur, Quercus petraea) are considered preferable for making wine barrels (they’re charred before use) because they give a less violent bouquet to the flavor than American oaks, although American oaks have better texture and resistance to aging.

Oak has the advantage of being very strong although it takes a long time to cure and has a tendency to warp (some species more than others). Despite the coarse grain, it takes stain evenly, unlike the blotchiness of maple or birch. Because the pores are open, oak has a rough feel to it and often it is given a sealer coat to fill in the pores before the finish is applied.

One of the more interesting ways that oak is used is when it is cut quartersawn. This is a way to show the well defined medullary rays which run from the center of the tree outward. First, the log is cut into quarters, then cut on the diagonal across each quarter. Gustav Stickley, the father of the Arts and Crafts movement, said "The quartersawing method of cutting...renders quartersawn oak structurally stronger, also finer in grain, and, as shown before, less liable to warp and check than when sawn in any other way." He was so fond of quartersawn oak that if he had to make a post, he would take 4 pieces of quartersawn wood and put them together so you could see the medullary rays on all 4 sides of the post.

Quartersawing, in my opinion the far more attractive way to cut boards, is rarely used because it is less efficient way to use the tree.

Although not as wildly popular in furniture as it was a few years ago, oak is still popular in Amish, Mission, Prairie and Arts and Crafts style furniture.

To care for oak furniture, as for any good quality wood, maintaining an even humidity is important (because the wood expands and contracts with the moisture in the air) so it should never be placed directly in front of a wood burning stove or radiator. An ideal, by the way is 25 to 35 percent (although I don’t know anyone who actually measures this). You can clean up your spills with a mild soap and water but be sure to dry them completely. Give it a good paste wax once a year and dust it often because the grit in the dust can mar the finish.