European Oak in Pacific Palisades, California
Posted on
3/1/2022
European White Oak (Quercus robur) is native 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 refers to the strength of this species of timber.
European White Oak (Quercus robur) is native 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 refers to the strength of this species of timber.
A temperate hardwood, it has deep roots and prefers heavy, wet soils and full sunlight at lower to moderate elevations. It grows to 65 - 130' in height with trunks that are generally 15 - 30" in diameter. European oaks typically grow quite quickly for the first 80 - 120 years. After that, their growth gradually slows down. Along the way, the tree develops from a slender sapling with smooth bark to a deeply fissured, rough-barked tree of exceptional girth. Decline begins setting in after approximately three centuries or so. This slow maturation results in a fine, tight grain valued for wine barrels and flooring. European White Oak is an especially heavy and strong wood. The fact that it is so hard makes a beautiful and long lasting wood floor. It also does not expand or contract a lot in reaction to weather conditions. Since it has fairly thin sap wood (.4 - 1.5"), it provides particularly long and wide boards.
This species of oak measures around 1360 on the Janka hardness rating which shows a wood's relative hardness when compared to other kinds of timber. European White Oak generally has a tighter grain, smaller growth rings, and more even shade than American White Oak (Quercus alba). It ranges in color from light brown to a rich, dark brown. Perhaps most commonly, it's a warm honey shade.
It reacts particularly well to various finishing methods, including fuming. Fuming is the process of exposing wood to ammonia gas in a sealed chamber. This process demands a wood, like European White Oak, that is high in tannins. Fumed European White Oak develops a rich, deep color comparable to walnut.
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