Oak Wood And The Oak Furniture Made From It

As a specific kind of wood that is made from a tree, there are more than 400 individual species that exist. The wood has a very thick density, and it is known and appreciated for its strength and hardness. It is also very resistant to insects and fungal attack, which is one reason why examples of oak furniture items from centuries ago still survive to this day.

Carpenters and wood workers have appreciated the grain markings that are so pronounced within oak. Ever since the Middle Ages, wide oaken and quarter-sawn planks have been used in the interiors of more than a few notable palaces and houses, particularly as wood paneling. As an example, the British House Of Commons in London, England has a great deal of oak wood made back in the Middle Ages.

It is also the preferred wood for the making of fine furniture items nearly the world over. There are examples of bedroom suites and other household furniture items evident in more than a few European palaces and castles. The fact that some of these items are nearly 1000 years old and still look as good as they did the day they were made says something about this versatile and durable material.

As if that wasn't enough to recommend this wood to those who are thinking of having furniture made from it, one should keep in mind that every wooden sailing ship -- including almost every ship in the Royal Navy of England throughout the centuries -- was made of this fine example of wood. It was the main timber used in the construction of almost every timber-framed building in Europe for centuries.

Oak today is still used as the prime wood in the making of a great deal of furniture, in addition to wooden flooring and even the manufacture of barrels in which certain liquors or wines are fermented and stored. This includes some of the most expensive and finest Scotch and Bourbon whiskeys in the world. These barrels are made mostly from American or European oak, which are the best in the world.

When it comes to furniture, oak today is predominantly seen in some of the more expensive bedroom sets on the market. Amish furniture makers in the Ohio and Pennsylvania regions specialized in crafting and shaping of this durable, beautiful and thick wood to produce headboards, foot boards and dressers and chests of extremely fine quality and beauty. Particularly in the grain that shows through the finish.

Oak wood and the oak furniture made from it has had a place in many societies and cultures in Europe and North America for centuries. It is prized by carpenters and those who work with wood for the thickness and beauty of its grain, and examples of wooden paneling or wooden furniture exist in many notable buildings, such as the British House of Commons, to cite just one example.