Oak wood is, without a doubt, among the most favored woods for home and office furniture. Aside from being a highly durable material, oak wood has a neutral look and highly transformative quality that make it lendable to an array of architectural decisions and interior design philosophies. Just research on the most prized ancient homes and historic buildings today and you’ll find out that most of them largely employ oak as wood material.

Oak trees have more than 200 species and they are spread across countries around the world. There are however two basic classifications of the wood-the red type and the white type. When you got to an oak home office furniture shop, you will see oaks of different colors, but the shop assistants will only classify the wood as either red or white. Now this can be very confusing for shoppers especially if the furniture is already treated with varnish or has undergone some finishing process. There will be times when the colors of the two objects are the same but their wood types are different. This is why it’s important that you know how to determine which is which.

One of the quickest ways to categorize oak home office furniture is to look at the end grain. This however requires you to find one section of the furniture that is not applied with varnish, paint, or covering. Red oak wood generally has very open pores, while white oak wood has their pores plugged with wood tissues called tyloses. If you blow the grain and you feel that some air enters it, then it’s probably red oak. Aside from the grain, you can also examine the wavy streaks or rays of the woods. Red oak wood naturally has shorter rays than white oak wood. Lastly, if you’re really determined to identify the classification of the wood, you can spray or paint a sodium nitrite solution on the surface. In a comparative observation, the white oak will basically create a darker change in color than the red oak.

Distinguishing the type of oak is important in as much as there will be a difference in quality and qualifying function. Generally, white oak is better than red oak because it is stronger and more capable to resist rotting and other types of damages. This is why white oak is used in the interiors of yachts and ships, in outdoor furniture, and even in boat building. Red oak wood is primarily employed in home and office pieces, but if you want the furniture to last for as long as you can remember, choose white oak wood. There will be obvious difference in price but the cost will offset through the quality, sophistication and length of use.

Nevertheless, oak is very strong material, which means that it can sturdily resist weathering factors like liquid spills, punctures and cuts from sharp objects, and daily wear and tear. If the family or company is pretty big and there are a lot of activities happening in the house or office, oak home office furniture is a smart choice in as much as the lifespan of this wood extends several years to decades.

Author Bio: William I. Neil is an architect, providing information and directories about home office furniture, leather office furniture, oak office furniture and office furniture liquidation

Category: Home Management
Keywords: oak office furniture, office furniture, furniture, home