Oak is a hardwood; hardwood is a compact timber which makes it stronger and more durable than soft woods so they are ideal for furniture. Hardwood comes from tress such as oak, walnut and beech. These are all slow growing and lose their leaves and as they can take up 300 years to mature it makes their timber dense and longer lasting.
Oak is good for furniture
Oak and other hardwoods have been used for furniture for thousands of years and are very popular in the UK. Oak is hardwearing and when varnished or lacquered it becomes even more resilient. Oak can be used to make a variety of furniture such as dining tables, coffee tables, display cabinets and bedroom furniture, in fact the list is endless. Because of its durability at Priest Furniture our craftsman use oak for the most of our bespoke furniture manufacturing. However, they do occasionally use other hardwoods such as walnut, plus the majority of our standard range furniture is made from oak.
Sustainability
All the oak we use for our furniture is purchased from sustainable timber supplier. Our main timber suppliers are Brookes Bros a local timber merchants who acquires their materials from sustainable timber sources which are in line with The Forestry Stewardship Council (FSC) regulations. Brookes Bros have developed and are committed to their 5-year environmental strategy which fits with our commitment to protect the environment.
Benefits of using oak furniture
There are many benefits of using oak for furniture and we have listed some below:
Versatile
Oak’s appearance makes it very popular for furniture and it never goes out of fashion. Each piece of oak has a different appearance and it comes in a range of tones so you can easily find a tone that complements your current colour scheme and brings real warmth to your home. The variations of oak make it versatile and adaptable to many settings. It can easily fit with older more traditional settings whilst its clean edges and grain patterns enables means it can enhance modern designs and décor.
Available supply
Oak is never in short supply as mature oak trees can grow up to between 50 – 70 feet high with some species of oak reaching over 100 feet. The quantity of timber that can be harvested from these fantastic trees is greater than many other species of tree. The Forestry Stewardship Council (FSC) and the Programme if the Endorsement of the Forest Certification (PEFC) monitor the production and cultivation of oak trees. To ensure the harvesting followed by the replanting of oak trees is managed in a responsible and sustainable way.
As oak trees grow to such a great height the timber from oak trees can be cultivated into large boards perfect for manufacturing furniture such as dining tables, wardrobes and kitchen workspaces as there are minimal joins.
Durable
As mentioned previously oak is a dense hardwood with a natural strength giving the finished furniture endurance and a longer life compared to soft woods like pine. Pine can be easily damaged with every day household items and after a few years of use will start to look worn and tired. Whereas oak’s durability means it’s not easily damaged and is suitable to be used in public places s well as for household furniture.
Oak lasts a life time
Oak simply lasts a long time and the investment in well-made oak furniture will definitely pay off as it will have a long life and may even out live yours. You are more likely to want to replace it as your taste has changed rather than an issue with the actual oak furniture.
At Priest Furniture oak is used for the majority of our furniture ranges and also by our experienced craftsman who manufacture our made to measure furniture. If you’re looking for a unique piece of furniture you can book a fee consultation with our design team; either call 01245 450259 or send an email. Alternatively, you can view our standard range of oak home furniture via our website or visit our showroom at Dukes Park Industrial Estate, 6 Suffolk Drive, Chelmsford, CM2 6UN.
Between 1st– 31st July 2022 there is a minimum of 10% discount of all our furniture ranges including Rom Sofas.