Brown Oak

[marcus]

Hi,

This is a question for anyone who uses brown oak regularly. I've never used it before but just bought a couple of wide (24") boards of the stuff. On machining them up I find that only just over half of them are the nice rich brown I was expecting. The rest is a quite ugly mixture of streaks like tiger oak, and normal oak colour. Is this normal, and is it a question of getting what I can from the good bits and binning the rest or should I complain?! Should a board sold as brown oak be brown right the way across?

Cheers

Marcus

 

[OPJ]

Hi Marcus. In my experience with brown oak, this is very common; I certainly wouldn't consider throwing any of it away though! It's all down to the way in which the tree has been stained by a beef steak fungus (...a fungus which looks like a beef steak on the outside of a tree! :wink. I think you need to be prepared to take it as it comes.

I bought a load of 1" and 1½" boards from Vasterns in Calne (Wiltshire) about six months ago. I've actually been quite fortunate with the boards I selected as the consistency is very good. Not a lot of dark 'streaking' although there were some boards with light areas where the stain hadn't reached (not sapwood, by the way).

Tiger Oak is essentially brown oak as well; it just has more streaking. Take a small offcut, clean it up a bit and splash some oil on it - then, you'll see why it's worth persevering!! 8)

 

[Harbo]

By Brown oak do you mean English Oak?
I use that regularly and it does come in different shades of brown.
I buy it rough sawn, air dried so it is always interesting to see what comes out of the P/T.
If you buy enough you can generally choose the bits that match?


Rod

 

[JonnyD]

Hi Marcus I have found oak grading varies from supplier to supplier. I use brown oak occasionally and my supplier would describe what you have as colour variation and there brown oak is pretty much brown throughout.

I would definately complain. It keeps the timber company on there toes and makes them more likely not to palm you off with rubbish in the future.

Jon

 

[marcus]

Hi Jon,

If that is your experience then I think I will complain. 50% wastage seems a bit much to stomach at that price!

Hi Rod, no I don't mean english oak - Brown Oak is normal oak which has been infected by fungus and so goes a lovely chocolate brown colour.

Cheers,

Marcus