What are the advantages and disadvantages of oak furniture? The difference between red and white oak

Oak furniture is of a higher grade and is suitable for making European furniture and Chinese classical furniture. It is thick and solid, and has the dignity and calmness of mahogany furniture, but it is cheaper than mahogany. Many people who pursue high-quality, low-key luxury will choose this type of board for whole-house customization. There are unscrupulous merchants in the market who use rubber wood instead of oak. If users don’t know how to distinguish, they are very easy to be deceived. So if you don’t know, it’s best to ask an expert or buy from a more well-known brand. The following is the knowledge about oak introduced by encyclopedia knowledge, I hope it can help you.

Contents of this article

1. Advantages and disadvantages of oak furniture

2. How to distinguish the authenticity of oak

3. The difference between red and white oak

Advantages and disadvantages of oak furniture

Advantages of Oak Furniture

1. Oak is relatively solid in texture, the finished product has a strong structure and a relatively long service life. It is used in the production of many antique door and window lattices.

2. It has a relatively distinct mountain-shaped wood grain and feels very good.

3. Oak has a fine texture, with more fillings in the pores, is not easy to absorb water, is corrosion-resistant, and has high strength. It is often used in European and American countries to store red wine.

4. Oak has good toughness and can be processed into various curved shapes as needed, which is more aesthetically pleasing.

5. It is of higher grade and suitable for making European furniture and Chinese classical furniture. It has a solid feel and the elegance and calmness of mahogany furniture, but its price is lower than mahogany.

Disadvantages of Oak Furniture

1. Because oak is hard and heavy, it is difficult to remove all the moisture. If furniture is made from oak that has not been completely dehydrated, it may begin to deform or shrink and crack after one or two years.

2. There are some unscrupulous merchants in the market who use rubber wood instead of oak. If users do not know how to distinguish, they are very easy to be deceived. Therefore, if you don’t know, it is best to ask an expert or buy from a more well-known brand.

How to distinguish the authenticity of oak

1. High-quality oak has a high density, so it will be very thick and heavy. You can move or lift it to identify it when purchasing.

2. Oak has clear and elegant texture. The clearer the texture of oak, the higher its price. Furniture made of other woods does not have the unique clear texture of oak. Fake oak texture is usually messy, so you should pay special attention to this.

3. There are also differences in the production process between high-quality oak and low-quality oak. If it is low-quality oak, such as deformed and bent oak, the surface will be very rough. Therefore, when choosing oak, appearance is also a reference for purchase. Finely crafted oak will also handle the details of the joints very well.

4. You can also judge from the wood color. Oak wood color is pure and beautiful. It is understood that most oak furniture is generally only painted with light-colored paint, and some brands only apply a layer of wood resin oil on it. This is to allow buyers to see the clear pattern of oak and reflect the natural atmosphere of furniture. We can also use this as one of the methods to identify oak. If the oak furniture is painted with dark paint, its value will become lower. If the surface wood color is not pure enough, and there are some spots or black spots, it is likely to be a low-quality product.

5. Oak is hard and scratch-resistant. Based on this, when purchasing, you can use a coin to rub the surface of oak furniture to see if it leaves any marks. If there are marks, it means it is fake oak.

The difference between red and white oak

1. Appearance

Red Oak: The sapwood of red oak is white to light brown, and the heartwood is generally pink-brown. Because the medullary rays are thinner, there are fewer visible circles, so the wood grain is mostly straight and the texture is relatively rough.

White Oak: White oak has straight grain, relatively coarse structure, light color, and beautiful texture. It looks better than red oak.

2. Price

Red Oak: Red oak is widely distributed in the eastern United States, with abundant production resources. Red oak sawn timber and veneer are widely produced, and the wood of this species is relatively easy to obtain, so the price of red oak is lower than that of white oak.

White oak: White oak is mainly produced in Europe and North America. Due to the scarcity of resources, the price will be relatively high and it has more collection value.

3. Home use

Red Oak: The wood of red oak is relatively coarse, hard and strong, not too heavy, with a fine pith and rough texture, so it is suitable for making stained furniture.

White oak: White oak has a light and pure color, the sapwood is light in color, the heartwood is light brown to dark brown, it has beautiful texture, solid texture and good feel. It can be used to make both original wood color floor furniture and dyed furniture.