As mentioned in the previous article, oak wood is an inexhaustible source of stories. If we look closely, we can touch the beauty that nature creates, which is revealed in every board.
Climate, soil, rain, sun, frost, lightning, drought or rain – how many things happen in 100+ years? It’s all on the oak board; let’s learn to read. There are no mistakes, no imperfections in nature; everything has a meaning, a value, a uniqueness – all we need to do is to respectfully accept, understand, feel and apply it to our lives. To make it easier to choose oak products, we have grouped them under the commonly accepted term ‘grading’. It is the possibility for customers to select oak wood products according to their desires, their interior style, the variety of patterns, and the “dose” of naturalness in their home.
Can You Notice Where the Oak Tree Branches Grew?
On oak boards, visible branches and branch growth points can provide a unique and natural accent to the overall aesthetic.
When manufacturing oak floorboards, we preserve the natural growth patterns of the tree. An oak floorboard will have branch marks that once extended from the tree trunk. These branches can be seen as irregular lines or patterns running across the surface of the flooring or as irregularly shaped stars.
The traces of the branches on the oak floor create an impression of authenticity and organic beauty. The irregular lines, differences in colour and texture caused by the branches give each board a unique character. This natural irregularity contrasts with the uniformity of the engineered flooring materials, adding charm and visual interest to the space.
Branch marks on oak floorboards bring the outdoors inside, allowing homeowners to appreciate the beauty of natural elements even in their own homes. This connection to nature can create a warm and cosy atmosphere as well as a sense of calm and grounding.
Original, Rustic, Rustic Loft grade wood is a popular customer choice when combining oak flooring, doors, and stairs.
Oak Heartwood in Flooring Reveals an Impressive Picture of Nature
Oak heartwood, with its striking colour variations, gives floorboards a unique character and has a strong influence on style. The heartwood is the inner part of the trunk, where the natural ageing process takes place, resulting in richer shades.
This colour variety can range from warm golden tones to rich reddish-brown shades, giving the floor depth and character.
The special qualities of oak heartwood in floorboards lie in its ability to create visual interest and a sense of elegance. The colour variations in the heartwood can be unevenly distributed, forming complex patterns and swirls that make each floorboard truly unique. Floorboards in the Rustic, Rustic Loft grades are particularly rich in this sense. They add sophistication and natural beauty to any space. The deep, rich colours of the core can create a warm and inviting atmosphere while at the same time giving a sense of timelessness and durability.
As you know, oak is a dense and durable wood and is, therefore, highly resistant to wear and tear. This durability ensures that the flooring will last for many years, even in heavily used rooms. The innate strength of oak heartwood also contributes to its popularity in both residential and commercial environments, where it can withstand the demands of everyday life while maintaining its visual appeal. We have seen over the years that these natural floorboards are a desirable choice for those looking for flooring of real beauty and long-lasting quality.
Cracks Might Be the Trace of Lightning: More to Discover!
Micro-cracks in oak wood can develop over time due to natural ageing and environmental factors. These micro-cracks occur as the wood expands and contracts due to changes in temperature and humidity. Although these cracks may be seen by some as imperfections, they are often seen as an advantage in achieving the desired naturalness of an oak wood floor.
Specific cracks are frost or lightning cracks. These are longitudinal cracks in the outer stem that taper from the surface of the stem towards the heartwood.
Micro-cracks add authenticity and organic beauty to oak floors. These cracks give a sense of history and character, revealing the natural ageing process of the wood. The cracks do not detract from the aesthetic appearance but enhance the visual appeal by adding texture and visual interest to the oak floor surface.
The benefits of oak micro-cracks go beyond aesthetics to interior styling. Cracks can help to create a warm and cosy atmosphere as they evoke a connection with nature and the elements. They give a sense of authenticity and naturalness to a space, bridging the gap between the outdoor and indoor environment.
What is Sapwood?
The sapwood is the outer part of the trunk of a tree, just below the bark. It is the living part of the tree, responsible for transporting water and nutrients. In our experience, and in our customers’ choices, a lighter, slightly whiter wood grain is a very attractive, more visually interesting detail in oak floors.
For oak floorboards, whitewash provides a contrasting colour and textural pattern. Its colour tends to be lighter, ranging from creamy white to pale yellow, compared to the deeper shades of the heartwood. This contrast creates a dynamic visual effect, adding depth and dimension to the floor surface. The interplay between the lighter off-white and the darker heartwood contributes to the overall aesthetics, making the floor more visually appealing and natural.
In addition, the whitish wood of oak flooring brings out the authentic characteristics of the wood. It highlights natural variations and growth patterns, reminds us of the tree’s origin and contributes to the organic beauty of wood. This natural variation in colour and texture adds character and uniqueness to each board, enhancing the overall naturalness and charm of oak flooring. The whitewash in our range of floorboards remains in the Rustic Loft grading. The Premium and Select grades are made from a more even grain.
Each oak plank is unique because there are so many properties of the wood, all of which are difficult to cover in a short text. We hope that we have been able to reveal at least a few things that will interest you and give you a different perspective on each natural oak product. And how the unique patterns of oak create interior styles, how to choose and what to think about when planning and creating your dream home; read the next text in the series on oak.
