TheOldFellow
wibbled on Monday 15 March 2010 20:55


American white oak is quite pale and doesn't darken much with age. It
has much less figure, especially when not quarter sawn. European Oak
has more figuring, particularly so if quarter sawn, and darkens
considerably with age - after a couple of hundred years it will be
black (don't know what American does in the same timescale).

Used as a ephemeral trim wood, as you plan, there is little to choose
between them, and normal staining/finishing should even them out. They
certainly will not look weird, at least not for a few decades!

Thanks - that gives me a feel

Painting Oak is a criminal offence.

Agree. I find even a cheap softwood quite interesting if just oiled, even if
it is one that most carpenters would call crap. I've been over exposed to
melamine and fake plastic wood from the 70's, so anything vaguely natural
seems to be a plus to me!

I don't mind a nice painted piece of wood but I'd rather have a battered
waxed piece than a battered painted piece, which is invariable where the
nice painted piece goes given a few years.

--
Tim Watts

Managers, politicians and environmentalists: Nature's carbon buffer.