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Oak has been widely recognised as a superior material for furniture and construction for centuries, and older buildings utilising oak beams and support structures are still standing today. There is no doubt that oak is a hardy and stable material, but what else makes oak wood so special? Why is it still a desirable material even if there now other materials available for construction and furniture? If you have oak wood in your property, be it in the form of beams or furniture, it pays to retain it and have it restored. But what are the properties and benefits of using oak for your home? Here are the answers to your main questions.
- Immense flexibility
One distinguishing property of this type of wood is its immense flexibility. Oak has an inherent natural beauty and strength, and its attractive and distinctive appearance makes it ideal for a variety of purposes. Oak trees can grow high and mighty, as we all know, and their height can reach as much as 30 metres. It, therefore, has a high yield, and the timber’s length is also useful because it is perfect for flooring, cladding, and more. When you use oak as support beams or flooring, the work can be completed much more quickly because you don’t need as much timber per job compared to other kinds of wood. And since oak has a uniform look, colour, and grain, it results in a consistent and appealing finish that doesn’t require too much staining or treatment, unless you prefer it.
Oak is also highly water-resistant because of its density and its non-porous property, as confirmed by oak beam restoration specialists like bespokebeams.co.uk. This makes it perfect for resisting the absorption of water. It’s one reason why a lot of property owners have utilised it for cladding for the exterior of their properties, and it doesn’t need to be waterproofed with the use of chemicals, either. Another property of oak wood that makes it immensely flexible is its resistance to shrinkage. You can use it for window or door frames because it is not prone to warping.
- Inherent durability
If you walk along a historic street or city, you will undoubtedly notice a lot of buildings made from oak, with oak features that are beautiful and distinct. Many old buildings with oak framing still stand all over the continent, and it’s a true testament to the hardiness and durability of oak. Even oak beams that existed during the Tudor period still provide support for the upper floor of buildings.
The fact that oak has naturally high tannin levels makes it a suitable material if you want something to last, from oak beams to furniture and more. The high tannin levels of oak make it resistant to fungi or insect attacks, and this is also one reason why oak trees live for a long time and are also less prone to rotting and decay. When the experts use special drying processes that remove moisture within the wood, it results in a material that’s weatherproof and doesn’t require much chemical treatment, if at all.
We can’t deny oak’s aesthetic appeal, either, so if you are building oak support structures or furniture from scratch or planning to restore older oak beams or furniture, it’s a worthy investment.