Oak timber - advantages, features and application

Oak is an excellent material, the benefits of which have long been appreciated by our ancestors. No wonder wood was used for the construction of housing nobility and even castles - by the way, many of these buildings have survived to this day.

If you want to use oak for arranging your own home, we will show you how to choose high-quality material, tell you about its advantages, and also give some useful tips on making furniture or building other structures from a bar with your own hands.

Material advantages

You can appreciate all the advantages of oak as soon as you touch it. Wood to the touch is pleasant and warm, and it looks more advantageous in comparison, for example with pine or maple.

Among other advantages of a bar from a tree it is possible to designate:

• powerful energy, which appears in the house during the construction or finishing of its oak - it is proved that in such a house a person feels much better and is less likely to get sick;
• resistance to moisture, because oak, unlike many other wood species, is practically not subject to rotting and perfectly tolerates direct contact with water - sometimes the material was even used to build bridges and crossings;
• the lifetime of oak products is calculated for years - many ladders and windows of this material, made in the XVIII century, serve today in their intended purpose;
• Oak looks quite impressive and presentable by itself, but if you wish, wood is easy to process, and also looks advantageous under paint or varnish;
• Various sizes of material are available for sale, for example, an oak bar 50x50, but if necessary, you can always order the production of products in a different format.

Among the disadvantages can only highlight the cost, because this type of tree has never been cheap. But given the excellent performance characteristics, we can confidently assert that, having spent one time, for example on finishing walls or making furniture, you will enjoy a pleasant “neighborhood” with a noble oak for a long time.

Application area

Since the price of oak is high enough, it is rarely used as the main building material. More often you can see oak doors, trim, furniture or frames. By the way, for the latter, a special window bar is used. (See also the article Glued laminated windows: manufacturing technology, equipment and benefits)

Also, the material is widely used:

• as the first crown in the construction of wooden houses;
• for the manufacture of beams and supports of timber;
• at construction of industrial buildings, and also hydroelectric power stations, mines, locks;
• in popular today interiors;
• for interior decoration;
• in the furniture industry;
• in landscape design - for the manufacture of arbors, benches, tables and other items that are used outside the premises.

How to choose oak timber

There are many varieties of oak. Mature wood can have a different shade, ranging from light to dark brown. In this case, over time, the tree darkens, which must be considered when choosing a material as interior decoration of the room.

Characteristics of oak bars can also vary depending on where the tree itself grew.

On sale you can find materials made from oaks that grew:

• on dry soils - then the wood will be solid and inelastic, and its color will differ in a straw shade;
• near water bodies - such a material is resilient and dense, with a barely noticeable pink tinge, and its disadvantage is the possibility of cracking during drying;
• on mixed soils - in this case, oak bars can be attributed by characteristics to the middle category between the two types described above.

Choosing a material, ask about the process of its manufacture. According to the technology, the bars should be made of a high-quality array on the equipment designed for this purpose. (see also the article Machines for the production of profiled timber, their types and features)

Note! Not all wood of this breed can be used for the manufacture of construction and lumber. A tree affected by fungus or parasites is considered unsuitable.

Initially, oak is sawn, then it is sent to special drying chambers. The dense structure of the tree is difficult to dry in natural conditions, so the drying is artificial. Oak timber 150x150, which is often used in construction, should be purchased with a degree of moisture less than 13%. If you choose a material for the manufacture of furniture or interior work - this indicator should be less than 10%.

In the manufacture of oak window frames, as well as some other structures, it is important to know the weight of the material, because it is necessary to calculate the load on the supporting elements. It should be noted that oak is considered to be a rather heavy material in comparison with other wood species, so if you are not sure about the reliability of the support system or the fastening mechanism of your structure, it is better not to risk it.

Determine the weight of the oak bar using a simple formula:

M = P x V, where:

• M is the mass of the bar, that is, the weight;
• P is the density of the material;
• V is the volume.

So, for example, you want to know how much an oak bar with dimensions of 150x500 h150 mm and a tree density of 700 kg / m3 will weigh. Translating all the values ​​into meters, then multiplying them together, we get the volume of the bar, which will be equal 0,01125 m³. Further, according to the formula, we obtain a weight of 7.875 kg.

Note! Oak density is a reference value, but may vary depending on the origin of the wood and the degree of its drying.

Build and master yourself

Oak timber is famous for its performance characteristics - the material is not afraid of any temperature drop, or high humidity, or sun, or mechanical impact. It is not surprising that summer residents and owners of private houses choose this particular wood for arranging their homestead land. We offer some simple, but interesting ideas.

Table for giving

Oak table will serve you faithfully for many years, while maintaining its original attractive appearance.

For production you will need:

• oak bars of various sizes;
• drill;
• screws;
• sandpaper;
• varnish;
• brush;
• roller.

The instructions for making the table are quite simple. Initially, it is necessary to prepare several boards, of which: 3 - at least 120 cm long, 20-30 cm wide; 3 - about 40 cm long, 10-15 cm wide. Wider boards are laid parallel to each other and fastened in small bars.

Note! From the edge of the table it is necessary to retreat about 10 cm - this is the distance needed for attaching the legs.

We drill the necessary holes for the legs and fasten them with bars. After fixing the tabletop, turn the table over and fix the legs with the help of three additional boards. The further fate of your creation depends only on you - you can leave the table in its original form, cover it with paint or varnish, polish it, cut it in wood.

Canopy from a bar

If we have made a table for giving or a personal plot, you can think about a shed, for the manufacture of which you will also need oak bars. At its core canopy is the simplest version of the frame, so you can build it, even with a minimum level of technical training.

You will need the following materials:

• the foundation of the simplest sample - you can use the column version or simply dig support into the pits, fixing them with concrete solution;
• supports-racks, which can be used as a bar 80x80 or 100x100 mm;
• the same bar for the upper strapping, which will ensure the stability of the structure;
• bars for roof truss system;
• roofing material - you can use a waterproof fabric, thick polyethylene or polycarbonate sheets.

Conclusion

Oak is an excellent building material. You can take a solid or glued laminated timber, choose the required dimensions and even the color of wood - in any case, the material will delight you with first-class performance characteristics and impeccable appearance.

Application area бруса из дуба также велика – это и возведение зданий, и их внутренняя отделка. При желании вы также сможете самостоятельно изготовить мебель или вспомогательные конструкции, например навес, беседку или теплицу. Более подробную информацию по данной теме вам предоставит видео в этой статье.