Solid oak doors are trendy and for good reasons. Oak doors make for an exceptional choice for both exterior and interior applications and provide an irresistible natural beauty. Oak doors are favored by designers and architects because of their natural aesthetic appeal, beautiful grains, and durability. Oak doors enhance the character of any home and a add unique style to both the interior and exterior architecture.
Solid oak doors are trendy and for good reasons. Oak doors make for an exceptional choice for both exterior and interior applications and provide an irresistible natural beauty. Oak doors are favored by designers and architects because of their natural aesthetic appeal, beautiful grains, and durability. Oak doors enhance the character of any home and a add unique style to both the interior and exterior architecture.
This article highlights the different types and cuts of oak wood as well as their pros and cons so you can decide whether they are the right choice of material for your entrance or interior doors.
Types of Oak Wood
There are over sixty varieties of oak trees growing in North America. However, the most popular ones that are often used in furniture and door manufacturing are red and white oak.
White Oak
White oak is a long-lived oak native to eastern and central North America. Although called a white oak, it is very unusual to find an individual specimen with white bark; the actual hues are yellow and light brown. White oak grains are straight, and showcase a course, uneven texture. White oak has tyloses that give the wood a closed cellular structure, making it water- and rot-resistant. When quarter-sawn, white oak provides a distinctive, decorative ray and fleck pattern.
Red Oak
Red oak is hard and heavy, with medium bending strength and stiffness and high crushing strength. Similar to white oak, red oak grains are generally straight, with coarse, uneven texture, but with larger pores. Compared to white oak, red oak hues are salmon pink, the grains are more pronounced, and their pattern is quite unique.
Different Types of Sawn Oak
What is Plain Sawn Oak?
Plain sawn or plain cut oak is the most common oak lumber. Having the trees plain sawn, is the most inexpensive way to manufacture oak logs into lumber. No matter the type of the wood, plain sawn lumber is the most common type of cut. The annular rings are 30 degrees or less to the face of the board, so the resulting wood displays a cathedral-type pattern on its face.
What is Quarter Sawn Oak?
Quarter sawn or quarter cut oak is a mid-grade board and has an amazing straight grain pattern. The annular growth rings are between 60 and 90 degrees to the face of the board. When cutting this lumber, each log is sawed at a radial angle into four quarters. The resulting boards showcase dramatic flecking in red oak and stunning patterns in white oak.
What is Rift Sawn Oak?
Rift sawn or rift cut oak is the most expensive and least common type of sawn oak in the market. Here, the annual rings can fall anywhere between 30 and 60 degrees, with 45 degrees being optimum angle. Rift sawn oak is very stable and has a unique linear appearance. The oak lumber is sawn at an angle perpendicular to its annular rings. This results in a linear grain pattern with no flecking providing the most consistent pattern. However, its manufacturing method produces a huge amount of waste, making rift cut oak the most expensive of sawn types.
Advantages of Oak Doors
Durability
Oak is considered one of the most reliable and durable building materials in the market. Solid oak doors will not sag under heavy use and will resist dents and scratches. Oak doors may be more expensive than many of their counterparts, however; they are built to last and should be considered an investment that adds value to your home.
Aesthetics
Oak doors look stunning in their natural state. Oak wood comes in different light hues so you can choose a shade that best matches your interior architecture. That being said, oak wood’s light natural color makes it a great choice for a wide variety of stain options as well. Oak doors give a sense of warmth and welcoming to your home.
Energy Efficiency
Quality solid oak doors are dense in material and offer excellent insulation properties, making them ideal for homes in cooler climates. Oak is so unique as it traps the heat in space and prevents the cold air from getting in during the cold winter days and avoids the summer heat inside when the temperatures are on the roof. Overall, oak doors make for a great energy-efficient option.
Acoustics
Not only are solid oak doors a great insulator, but they also provide impressive acoustics and offer a noticeable reduction of noise. The heavy weight and high density of solid oak doors makes them an excellent choice when privacy and peacefulness matter most.
Sustainability
Oak trees grow in abundance, especially here in Ontario. Oak wood is naturally renewable as the resource is continually growing. The strength and durability of oak wood makes the doors last for decades. Oak doors can also be fully recycled offsetting up to forty percent of its carbon emission.
Conclusion
Oak doors are a solid choice when it comes to choosing high-quality exterior or interior doors. Oak doors are durable, sustainable, and stunningly beautiful and provide an excellent insulation and security to your home.
