Oak

The king of the forest

Oak is a hard and beautiful wood species. The grain of the wood is long and straight, with a pale brown tone that becomes a more yellowy amber shade over time. Oak is the most popular wood species for flooring and furniture in Europe and the USA. Almost four out of every five Kährs floors are made from oak.

A thousand years and thousands of friends

Oak can live for over a thousand years. When it’s over 150 years old, natural cavities form which then become homes for thousands of animal species and rare insects. Around 500 insects are directly dependent on the decayed wood in old oak trees.

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A holy tree worshipped throughout history

Oak is one of the most characteristic wood species. The tall and very thick trunk, rough bark and long lobed leaves are unmistakable. Its seeds — the smooth acorns with their cup-like structure – are also easily recognised. The oak’s silhouette, leaves and acorns are used as symbols by organisations all over the world.

The fact that oaks can live so long perhaps contributes to them being regarded as holy, and worshipped by the Greeks, the Celts, the Vikings and many others. Oak was a symbol for Zeus, King of the Greek Gods, Jupiter, the Roman equivalent, and Thor, Viking God of Thunder. The word “oak” is derived from the Norse word igja, which means “veneration”.

Kährs shares the landscape with the oldest oak in Sweden

The Rumskulla Oak, the oldest oak tree in Sweden, is situated 130km north of Kährs’ head office. This tree is a thousand years old and has a circumference of nearly 14m. The Rumskulla Oak became protected in 1924.

Since the mid-19th century, Swedish law has stated that for every oak tree felled, at least two new ones must be planted. Even now, there are rules on how many acorns can be picked; you’re allowed to pick only as many acorns as can fill a mitten.

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  • Oak (Lat. Quercus robur)

  • Family: Beech (Lat. Fagaceae)

  • Size: Oak can grow up to 30m in height. The trunk can grow to around 10m in circumference.

  • Ready to fell: 50-150 years

  • Origin of Kährs oak flooring: Sweden predominantly, and Southern Europe.

  • Hardness: Hard, dense and strong. Brinell value: 3.7

  • Colour change: Medium strong, oak darkens gently over the years and takes on an amber-like tone.

  • Random fact: From a biological standpoint, no other European wood species is more important than oak, as it provides protection and nutrition to around 2,000 species throughout its life.