Furniture - Top Tips

The Oak Vs Pine Debate

Oak & Pine – The differences

Things to consider when buying new wooden furniture is what type of wood will suit your lifestyle, usage and budget requirements. We offer our furniture as standard in both pine and oak options, which may leave you wondering- which wood is best for my needs?

 

Appearance is a key factor to consider when choosing between Oak & Pine. Oak before finishing has a light to golden medium brown tone and is typically identified by a straight grain with a medium – coarse texture. Whereas Pine tends to be a lot lighter in tone before being finished. Lending itself to take on stains well and easier to personalise to your space and colour finish. Pine can be recognised by its striped wavy grain and frequent knots which add lots of character and rustic charm.

One of the main differences between the two timbers is that Pine is a softwood and Oak is a hardwood. Hardwoods such as Oak can take up to 150 years to grow to be fully established and live for well over 300 years meaning they are generally a lot denser, have greater strength and durability (being less prone to scratches and dents).

That isn’t to say Pine isn’t hard-wearing, it just means that it’s typically lighter in weight due to its faster growing time and softer in nature than Oak. Our 45-50mm thick Pine tops lend themselves to our Chunky style rustic furniture that over time will show its natural charm and history through daily use. Our Oak is finished to a 30-32mm thickness giving it a sleeker, stylish appearance. Then oiled using Rubio Monocoat wood protection colours to bring out the grain beautifully.

In terms of maintenance and up keep of your wooden furniture our care instructions differ between the two types of wood, Oak is easier to spot repair as the top is oiled rather than varnished meaning you can repair small areas if you were to mark the top. However for Pine, we apply a water-based stain and a layer of acrylic varnish on top, so if you were to have a mark that wouldn’t budge you would need to refinish the entire surface area. Check out our care guide for our instructions on how to care for the two.

Your decision may rely heavily on budget, with this in mind, the slower growth rate of Oak and its high durability levels means it commands a higher price point than Pine. Oak is an investment that should, if looked after last you a lifetime. If you are after a less expensive alternative to Oak then Pine is for you, both woods are beautiful in their own unique way, and the best wood for your furniture depends on your own needs.

In summary, Pine is a strong, lightweight wood which absorbs stains beautifully and creates great chunky rustic tabletops, sideboard tops and shelves. Pine is the more budget friendly out of the two and can be refinished as needed over the years.

Oak is a heavier, durable wood which has a unique straight grain and is easy to spot repair.

We also supply our Rubio Monocoat Oak care products here. Whichever choice you make, both oak and pine are perfect to create beautiful furniture.

 

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