White Oak
Not all oaks are created equal
Contrary to popular belief, not all oaks are created equal. That’s why we have selected American White Oak as our preferred species for our wide plank floors. Commonly known as simply as White Oak, it is the most sought after of the oaks. White Oak characteristics include consistent cream to light beige colour, high degree of stability, and a versatility that is unparalleled by any other wood species. Our artisans love working with White Oak because there are so many interesting things that can be done with it. Fuming, staining and glazing are but a few of the techniques that CRAFT’s artisans use to transform White Oak into countless shades and colours.
Oak, in its multitude of subspecies, is the most commonly used hardwood in the world for furniture, millwork and flooring. It is also one of the most commonly found temperate hardwoods around the world, widely dispersed in groves from Canada to Central America, and from Europe to Asia. Oak has also been the traditional species of choice for wooden barrels, buckets, wine and whiskey kegs, due to its superior dimensional stability. Woodworkers have long loved working with oak because of its ease of milling, sanding and staining, and because of its mainly monotone colour, due to the trees being comprised primarily of heartwood with only a small sapwood ring.
The use of oak dates back millennia, and includes some of the first wooden ships made in Europe. Oak was preferred because of its resistance to water penetration and rot.
White Oak is perhaps best known for its exceptional stability, meaning that craftsmen like working with it knowing that it will hold its shape, even under greatly changing environmental conditions.
Every CRAFT White Oak floor is third-party verified by the Sustainable Forestry Initiative® to be from legal and responsible sources.
