A New Take On Oak Furniture
Created by nature and made into functional furniture by wood artist Robin Wade
“I haven't always been oak's biggest fan,” says wood artist Robin Wade. “I think I've always appreciated and respected the tree itself, but not so much when it comes to oak furniture and cabinetry. I have a hard time getting country oak cabinets out of my mind when I think of oak.” Ironically, oak is the one species that grows to enormous dimensions in the area of the RWF Slow Studio. With a personal preference for the clean lines of modern design, the standard uses for oak have never appealed to Wade. “But I have come a long way,” he says. “Oak has a wonderful grain, and with a hand-rubbed oil finish, its color, in my opinion, can be quite amazing.” Some of Robin's favorite pieces, particularly in the larger width slabs, are from oak.
Wade’s new-found appreciation of oak began when he was milling a 55 inch-diameter giant into slabs. “It was taking 45 minutes to make each cut, and the tree was dulling my blade every three cuts or so,” Wade says. After a couple of weeks of sharpening blades and cutting slabs, Wade developed a healthy respect for the species.
After conquering oak with the saw, Wade discovered another stumbling block. “It is by far the most difficult hardwood species I’ve tried to dry.” Wade suddenly realized that there's a good reason there isn’t oak lumber cut any thicker than a couple of inches. “It has terrible drying qualities,” Wade says. “It took us almost five years to get the moisture content of our oak slabs down to 30%, then a couple of months of kiln time before they were finally ready.” In addition, oak is the easiest species to succomb to rot. But that’s not necessarily a bad thing when it comes to making gorgeous oak furniture.
“We seem to get more of this organically distressed effect with oak than any other species,” he says. And Wade is using what he calls “this magical organic discoloration and shaping” to dramatic effect in several oak furniture pieces; these include an oak console, an oak coffee table, and the breath-taking one-piece slab conference tables that span 16 feet in length.