Why Oak Is Made In The Crafting Of Oak Furniture

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  • Author Annie Deakin
  • Published February 17, 2010
  • Word count 543

Why oak is made in the crafting of Oak furniture is simple enough to answer once one gets a look at how beautiful this wood can be once it has been cut, shaped in finished. Oak and oak furniture seem to be a match that was preordained long ago. In fact, some of the best looking household furniture known in the world comes from this extremely durable and very versatile timber.

Oak for the most part comes from the tree, though there are oak shrubs in nature. There are also over 400 species of oak existing currently. It is known for its thickness and density, and is also appreciated for the strength and hardness of its timber. Because of the high tannin content within it, it is also very resistant against fungus and insect infestations. Furniture made from it can survive for centuries.

The granular markings within oak are also appreciated by carpenters and woodworkers to no end. Pretty much since the Middle Ages, carpenters worked to produce wide planks sawn in quarter-angles that were then made to be added to the interiors as wooden paneling. There are notable examples of this paneling scattered throughout Europe, including in the British House of Commons in London.

When it comes to the production of fine furniture, oak is one of the prime timbers used to manufacture it. One can walk through any number of historic and ancient European castles and palaces and see an example of oaken furniture in bedrooms, antechambers and other areas of the household. Some of these examples are nearly 10 centuries old and still look very nice, which is a testament to the oak itself.

As if anyone needed more convincing about the sterling qualities of this fine wood, it is helpful to remember that just about every wooden sailing ship up through the 19th century was constructed of this extremely durable and very sturdy material. Practically the whole British Royal Navy was built of Oak at one point. Additionally, almost every timber-framed building in Europe was constructed of oak.

Today, as a prime material for the making of furniture, this versatile wood is seen in many pieces of furniture along with a number of sterling examples of wooden flooring and most any barrel made for the storage and fermentation of certain wines and also some of the best scotch and bourbon in the world. These two liquors are made primarily from the American or European oak, which are the finest.

As far as furniture itself goes, one can see nice examples of this wood in more than a few higher-priced bedroom suites for sale today. The Amish craftsmen and woodworkers in Ohio and Pennsylvania specialize in taking this wood and creating extremely beautiful pieces of bedroom furniture from it. This includes classic headboards and foot boards along with more than a few chests and dressers.

Why oak is made in the crafting of oak furniture, then, becomes evident whenever one stops to take a look at the quality of the furniture that is produced from it. It has had a place in the making of such furniture in North America and Europe for hundreds of years, and there are examples of this furniture spread throughout many notable buildings in Europe even today.

Annie is an expert furniture and interior design writer. Her current area of specialism is interior design and tv stand

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