There is a lot of oak around, as it dominates architectural interiors and furniture, is popular for some exteriors and represents more than half the European and US hardwood flooring sector. Oak grows throughout the Northern Hemisphere and comes in many disguises- but there is only one commercial source of white oak. The USA, contains almost all the available white oak, so any other oak calling itself "white oak" is an impostor. American white oak, defined by Lincoln (ISBN 0854420282) as native only to Eastern USA and SE Canada, is a group of about eight Quercus species, mainly Q. alba which are sold together either as Northern white oak or Southern white oak.
Furniture and joinery markets around the world are still showing a preference for oak above any other single temperate hardwood species and American white oak is one of the most sought after and readily available. Thus there has been a recent tendency by oak producers from other regions to cash in and rename their own as "white" oak. In the USA White Oak accounts for about 14% of the national hardwood forest resource.
All oaks vary in grain characteristic and colours due to many factors, which include site growing conditions and methods of sawmilling in addition to the great variety of sub-species. So it is always a question of "know your oaks" and "understand what is truly white oak".
The colour of white oak may also vary from north to south. The sapwood is light or almost white and the heartwood is light to brown colour. The heartwood is durable and naturally resists insect attack and rot from humid conditions. Under NHLA grading rules sapwood is not a defect and in many interior applications can be used as a feature. White oak, being hard, is particularly suitable for flooring in high traffic areas. The wood is mostly straight grained with a medium to coarse texture.
White oak machines well, and nails and screws well although pre-boring is advised. Its adhesive properties are variable, but it stains and polishes to a good finish. The wood dries slowly and care is needed to avoid splitting and checking, and due to its high shrinkage it can be susceptible to movement in performance.
The wood is hard and heavy with medium bending and crushing strength, low in stiffness, but very good in steam bending. White oak can vary according to the growing region.
Asian architects have also long appreciated oak as a material that works well in buildings, whether they are large signature projects such as the Esplanade in Singapore or small private villas. Many hotels throughout Asia feature white oak as "show wood" in flooring, furniture, doors and joinery.
World Hardwoods 2008
Woodmag, No. 17, July 2008
Magazine for Ekamant's Premier Costumer
Tidak ada komentar:
Posting Komentar