What is French Oak Flooring? French oak flooring originating from France is very sought-after wood and is popular because of the desirability which it owes to its reputation. French Oak GROWN IN FRANCE is the best in the world.
Of the world’s more than 430 species of oak, only 10 grow in France in significant numbers.
Of those, only two are considered prime: Quercus robur and Quercus petraea. Both species grow in the six main French forests prized for oak.
French Oak trees grow slowly, and the space between the growth rings is compact, yielding a tighter, smoother grain. This yields the cathedral grain pattern in the centre of each plank and straight grain on the edges of the planks.
French Oak is also prized for its tannin content, which reacts beautifully to custom coloring yielding colours that are sometimes not possible to attain on American Oak.
France has a long and well-respected history of managing its forests, especially since World War II. “It’s important to note that these forests are managed.” The minimum size an oak must be before it is cut down is 25 inches in diameter.
French Oak from France is harvested and graded under strict guidelines, they have very clear grading rules, the log is cut into four sections for the maximum usage of the log,
A-section: is the base of the tree and is used for barrels
B & C-section: is the middle of the tree used for joinery or flooring
D-section: only used for external application, such as railway sleepers.
Salvage Europe only sell French Oak that is single origin which guarantees consistency and quality, FSC certified so you can be assured you are getting the best wood available.
