Articles: English Oak – History Tracking

The majority of English Oak we buy is sourced from a forest in Staffordshire which has an interesting advantage. Although all the timber we buy is from well managed sources, the wood from this particular forest can be tracked back in time to when it was planted.

Each tree has its own meticulously tracked history which gives an interesting insight into the life it has led. We can tell you the point that any particular tree was planted and when it was felled. This allows you to trace the eras in which the Oak tree has stood strong.

Oak trees take many years to mature and become fully grown, and their lives can span hundreds of years. The average tree can live anywhere between 300-600 years.

What forms do we sell English Oak in?

English Oak is available in a number of different guises including Cut to Size, Planed All Round, Beams and Cladding.

The Beams are Fresh Sawn and are a structural grade similar to the D24 grade of European Beams that we import from the continent. The beams can be sawn or planed down to size depending on the finish you require.

We also supply Oak fresh sawn as feather edge and Waney edge cladding. These are both traditional forms of cladding which are highly effective.

We also supply the Oak Kiln dried either sawn or planed to your measurements. The Oak is still available in light character and Prime grades, so you get to select the look of your timber in terms of how many knots there are.

History and Traditions Involving English Oak

Oaks in England are steeped in tradition and history. Druids would worship in Oak groves, people would get married underneath the spreading branches and the festive yule log was usually cut from an Oak tree.