The oak is a very important tree in the national psyche of many countries. Oak trees used to predominate in the great forests of Europe until the rise in population caused massive deforestation to make room for more agriculture and human settlement. Yet still the oak endures as a potent symbol for people. The oak is the national tree of America, England, Wales, Poland, Estonia, Germany, Bulgaria and Serbia. It is no doubt partly due to the oak tree’s symbolic and historical significance that oak flooring remains a popular choice.
Oak flooring looks beautiful. It is hard and long lasting and has a timeless elegance. However, people should consider the endangered plight of the oak tree and desist from buying oak flooring. A great alternative is reclaimed oak flooring.
Oak was used for so many different uses in the past: furniture, flooring, house frames, paneling, wine barrels and even ship building. There is a great deal of unwanted oak that can recycled and re-used as reclaimed oak flooring.
The benefit of reclaimed oak flooring is that it is not new wood. As a consequence the old oak has reached stability through many years of acclimatization to humidity levels. Thus flooring made of reclaimed oak planks is less likely to shrink or swell in extreme weather conditions. Also old oak develops a rich patina over the years that add a lot to the beauty of the wood. This patina cannot be replicated with a finish.
Reclaimed oak flooring has the beautiful grain patterns of new oak flooring. And like oak flooring the reclaimed oak still has a high tannin content. This tannin content makes the oak flooring resistant to fungal and insect attack. This makes reclaimed oak flooring suitable for people with allergies and asthma.
Thus, the oak is a very important tree and part of many nations’ heritages. Oak numbers are in rapid decline. The best way to get the many benefits of oak flooring without reducing the numbers of oaks any further is to buy reclaimed oak flooring.
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