subject: Why It Is Good To Build With British Oak Beams [print this page] Why It Is Good To Build With British Oak Beams
Oak is a fantastic native English wood. It has many uses both as a building material, architectural timber, and for interior decoration.
British oak beams are wonderful when being used structurally. The wood is usually supplied green', fresh cut from the tree. It is also known as wet' at this point. Green oak is easier to work and it is used because it can work out to be cheaper than seasoned oak. With green oak, the wood will shrink over the first few years and develop surface cracks.
In contrast, seasoned oak can take up to 7 years to mature. In that time, the wood will dry and split and will release stresses. This means that the finished look is more predictable, which is why it is also called steady' oak. Steady oak is becoming increasingly popular with architects for restoration projects, but also for newer builds, because the seasoning time also improves stability.
Construction grade oak is used for structural work. It can be obtained as a complete frame if desired. It is very strong and has been used in traditional English houses for hundreds of years. Oak was particularly popular in Tudor times because it was a speedy way to build a house.
The way a timber frame is made hasn't changed much since medieval times. Cut and assembled in the workshop, it is produced in the form of a kit, which can then be constructed on site. Joints are created by hand using traditional techniques and are then tightly secured with oak pegs so that the frame can be lifted into place.
The large structural oak beams, in a fire situation char on the outside causing an insulated layer that stops the rest of the beam from burning. This is a useful property to have as it protects the building from collapse.
Oak is an incredible material for building with. The beams of the frame can withstand all sorts of extreme weather. An oak beam is just as dependable and sturdy as a steel joist and is practical, long lasting and will look better with age.
Oak beams come from a sustainable source too, making them a good option for ethical builders. If they are British grown oak beams, used in British building projects, the transportation costs and carbon footprint are also good.
British oak beams are great for building and that is why they have been used for centuries and why they will continue to be used well into the future for projects both renovations and new builds.
As well as using oak for the beams in a house, oak flooring looks great under foot, and wide oak flooring can look simply stunning, completing the English wood look and bringing warmth and elegance to a building. Tables, shelves, chairs, lamps and other furniture items are great in oak too. They last well and the grain creates a uniquely beautiful piece of furniture each time no two pieces will be the same. Oak is a truly great building material.
