The following blog explains what are some difficulties you would be dealing with working with oak. And will you help in concluding is oak easy or hard to work with?
If you’re just getting started, woodworking is not going to be as easy as you might have thought. And choosing the right wood for the project is not less than a chore. Read more about is oak wood strong?
You surely need to understand some basic physical concepts if you don’t want to indulge yourself in trouble. Even if it makes good furniture.
In woodworking, many difficulties exist that only expert carpenters know as they found them by trial and error of years. Choosing the wrong wood type for your project can have a number of negative effects. Such as weak joints, ruining your tools, bad cuts, all the problems will lead you to completely wasting your money
If you are a beginner in carpentry, it is recommended that you start practicing on woods that are easy to cut. Read more: Problems with table saws in woodworking.
In fact, carpentry is more about cutting wood pieces, making joints, the wood that gets cut easier is considered easy while others that require extra power due to their hard nature, are considered hard to deal with.
Is oak easy or hard or work with?
If you want to know working with oak will be easy or difficult. Here’s what to know.
Oak trees are famous for some good reasons. However, some advantages and disadvantages also do exist.
As a beginner, you might get attracted to working with this wood. But even if you are opting for oak, It is worth noting that oak is one of the more challenging woods to work with.
An oak tree has many species, the popular ones are white and red oak that is mostly used in carpentry.
When it comes to cutting hardwoods, they present different challenges than softwoods.
Like most hardwood trees, oak trees also have a strong structure. Oak trees have a density greater than other trees because of their closed cells, although this property is the reason behind why it’s water-resistant.
- Cutting oak trees can be problematic. You might require a power saw to do this job if you really want to make precise cuts. As precision and accuracy come with powerful and sharp blades.
- Working with softwoods such as pine, fur, are easy to make cuts, a normal table saw can make precise cuts.
- Hardwoods on the other hand such as oak and cherry, require powerful saws to make cuts- due to their denser nature.
Guide to work with oak wood.
- Use sharp tools: If you want to make fine and straight cuts, sharp blades are the must-have thing you should consider. Along with that, a powerful motor is needed because to cut through an oak timber, more power is required.
- Don’t use iron-base metals for joining: As the tannins in the oak can react with the iron causing staining, it is best to avoid using iron-based metals. Copper, aluminum, and brass are far better options, but brass fittings can be prone to shearing, even as they complement the oak’s color
- Use kiln-dried oak timbers: Iron can rust in green oak, weakening the joint because of the higher water content. In addition to the metal becoming corroded and weak, the wood that comes into contact with it may weaken as well. Losing the strength of joints. The drying oak will grip the pieces tightly as it shrinks around them, forming a stronger joint. They will also blend more seamlessly into the surrounding wood, resulting in a better finish.
Why choose oak?
For centuries oak is unknown for building beautiful, durable, strong furniture. It’s suitable for both indoor and outdoor furniture models due to the fact, oak is hardwood and water is not actually a problem for this.
Oak’s physical characteristics make it an excellent choice for exterior use, construction, and furniture. In the roof-building industry, white oak is one of the rare types of wood used.
Oak is a sturdy, hard-wearing, and long-lasting wood. It is extremely resistant to water and pest damage and requires little or no upkeep.
While its desirable properties also make it challenging to work with. Understanding the physical makeup of the timber itself and which cuts are most appropriate for the job in hand pays dividends.
Important:
Two types of oak tree timbers are popular in Europe. Red and white oak.
- Red oak has more open grains, giving it a porous texture that significantly lowers its water resistance. Speaking of its physical markup, compared to white oak, red oak is relatively soft and easy to cut through.
- White oak on the other hand has closed pores, meaning the cells are attached together very closely. Hence, due to great density working with white oak is more challenging than red oak.
