The mighty white oak tree
A quick primer on the white oak tree
For most of our history trees have supplied us with an abundant and renewable resource for building. Wood was everywhere. It was a cheap and structurally sound material. The forests of the Eastern United States were replete with solid, perfectly straight old growth trees ranging in age from 200-400 years old. These giants of the forest were primed for their eventual use in the construction of everything from homes to barns. But among these forests one tree was valued far above the others when it came to building.
Read the facts about old growth trees here
Quercus Alba
Learn more about the entire species here
The might white oak of North America. This tree has some 600 odd extant species within its genus and here in the United States, specifically the east coast there are over 90 variants. This is one prolific and highly adaptive tree. Yet within this large and widely varied family the white oak stands alone as a giant of the forest.
Identifying the oak tree.
Tree identification always starts at the leaves. The leaf tells us exactly what we are seeing as to genus and species. Oaks are noted for having spirally arranged leaves. with smooth lobate edges to the leaf. In the spring another easily identified thing will be the production of the fruit or more commonly known as acorns. Acorns are born in a cup like structure defined as a cupule. Each acorn contains one seed but in some rare instances will contain two to three. The maturation of the seeds can take anywhere from 6-18 months. White oak trees are highly adatable and can take root in a wide variety of soil structures.
How do you tell a red oak from a white oak?
The maturing oak in the forest.
The competition for light, air and water in the forest is a tough one. Plants are rated as to their tolerance level in how they compete with other species. The oak is considered a highly tolerant plant. It has a unique ability to maintain a healthy and steady growth in the understory of the forest. Learn more about the forest canopy here. This steady and usually unmitigated growth pushes the oak to the top of the forest canopy where you might say, it becomes far less tolerant of the species below it. At the top of the forest canopy it literally throws shade down on the struggling understory and takes up the mantle of the king of the forest. But as we know in nature dominance is fleeting. Beech trees and Sugar Maples eventually find their place at the top of the forest and compete directly with the oaks for the aforementioned light, air and water.
So what makes this white oak so special for building materials?
There are two distinctive elements that combine in white oak to make it so perfectly suited for barns, etc.
- Density. Oak has a density of exactly .75 gm/cm3 and Janka scale hardness of 1360 which is only succeeded in North America by the hickory. What is the janka scale?
- An extremely high tannin content that renders the oak highly resistant to mold and bug infestations. What are tannins?
All this is wonderful but we really know why we love white oak and why it is so popular, because it is stunning flooring!
Like this floor? See the full installation here
One of our most specatular installations. Go here to see more.
Learn more about some wonderful variations of oak flooring here.
