Green Oak

Oak timber and green oak

Many customers keep asking me the difference between what the call normal oak and green oak so I thought I would post out lining a few points.



The are of course different types of oak but the term "green" means the timber if freshly cut and will still have a very high moisture content, it is not anything at all to do with the colour. As this timber drys it will be liable to splitting and twisting and is not suitable for the production of furniture. There are some furniture producers that use green oak ie for beam coffee tables where the drying process that will that place in you home will add to the character of the piece how ever anything else will just and the piece will just end up being worthless. Timber for furniture needs to be dry with a moisture content not above about 12%. When the tree is felled the moisture content can be around 40-60% depending on the time of year which needs to be reduced before the timber can be worked.This can be done by kiln drying the timber or simply seasoning the timber, kiln dry is quicker and cheaper.

Product care

Most of   my products are finished in danish oil unless the item is listed otherwise draining boards have a poly finish. An oiled finish is very easy to maintain by just wiping the item down with a slightly damp cloth. Should you wish to wax your item this can be done straight over the top of the oil and I would recommend the use of a natural product such as bee's wax. Please try and avoid aerosol products as this can dry the finish of your product.

An oiled finish will require re-oiling about once a year depending on the amount of use the item gets. The item should be wiped down with a mild detergent solution or white spirit before the oil is aplided. The oil should simply be put on using a brush or clean rag and then left to stand a few minute's don't worry about any brush marks or runs at this stage. Absolutely no skill is required for application as even when the oil is applied with a brush, it does not have to be brushed out in the same way as a varnish. The brush is merely used to spread the oil liberally over the surface. Once the oil has had chance to soak in, using a clean rag wipe away any excess and allow to dry [4-8 hours depending on room temp]

If I had to give you one piece of advice regarding oiling your product it would be to use a good quality oil. Danish oil is just like any other product out there on the market, you pay cheap you get cheap!! Rustins   is a very good oil and is readily available from most DIY stores and not that expensive.   I have tried "own brands" before and trust me it's not worth the bother. Solid oak furniture with a little loving care will last for years and years, don't spoil it with cheap oil.

If you have purchased any of my products and require further advice on oiling your item please don't hesitate to contact me, either via email or phone. Contact details can be found on the contact us page.

Over the next few weeks this page will be up dated with details for basic repairs should you ever damage an item so please check back soon for more info. If you don't feel you would like to attempt an repair I do offer the service here at a very reasonable rate.

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