Thread: ?Dutch Oak

Karen,
Dutch oak is most likely English/European oak. All the same as far as I know. In America there is red and white oak. They all look similar. Wine barrels are usually oak so that is grain pattern to look for. Oak in Europe has been considered up market for the past 200 years or so. As for what it is worth in old furniture I can not say. Take along someone who knows antiques to look at it.

Regards
John

I restored an old (circa 1920) Dutch coffee table a couple of years ago, the oak was stock standard euro oak complete with the telltale medulary rays.
On the table the legs were solid but the top was a solid plain timber and veneered on both sides (why?).
I purchased oak veneer locally to match and found it hard to pick between the original and the new top I put on.

Originally Posted by Iain

..............On the table the legs were solid but the top was a solid plain timber and veneered on both sides (why?).......

To equalize/compensate for any forces exerted on the top by the veneer. (ie to stop it turning into something resembling a potato chip.)

Mick

But I thought a coat of varnish etc would achieve the same end, or a cheap and nasty veneer that no one is ever going to see.

A coat of varnish would help, but a veneer would be better, and I suppose if you're really fanatical about it a veneer with the same characteristics as the face veneer would be best. You're right though, I'd just use something cheap.

Mick

.... because Dutch housewives clean the underside as well as the top of course!

is oak of much value as i have some that id glady swap for some aussie timber ?