Northern Red Oak

Northern Red Oak

From men-of-war to kitchen cabinets, always number one To England's ancient druids, the oak symbolized strength. Warlike Norsemen even cherished pieces of the wood as charms to protect them from evil. But to the Greeks, Romans, and later seafaring nations, oak meant sturdy men-of-war and reliable merchant ships. In fact, England and France reserved whole forests for use in building their fleets. That's why red oak from North America saw immediate popularity when it was introduced to those countries in the early 18th century. Within a few years, northern red oak substituted for native English and European oak species and was crafted into furniture and paneling. Even after centuries of popularity, northern red oak still outsells all other hardwoods. And luckily, it's plentiful, comprising about one fifth of the standing timber species grouped as red oak.