French white oak has a special history in Europe going back over 2000 years.What is its place in modern Florida?
Wine barrels
The Romans adapted the Celt invention of wood barrels around 50 BCE to store and transport wine. French white oak is still a top choice for wine barrels today.
Romans soon discovered that wine stored in French white oak mellowed and took on a flavor that was better than wine stored in ceramic amphorae. But that is another story.
Honey colored, wide-plank French White Oak flooring.
Ships
The Romans also discovered that French White Oak was great for building sturdy ships. Plus its high tannin content made it resistant to destructive pests. French white oak continued to be a top choice for shipbuilders until metal replaced wood in the latter part of the 19th Century.
Lighter toned kitchen installation of French White Oak.
Flooring
When the Western Roman Empire fell in the fifth century AD, Europe descended into to survival mode for centuries, the Dark Ages.
Everyone was poor.
Even castles, giant stone fortresses built by the wealthy to withstand attacks, had sparse interiors with little on the floors but rushes to absorb dirt and animal waste.
But at the height of the Renaissance in the sixteenth century, nobles could afford to cover the cold, damp stone floors with wooden planks.
The wood of choice: French white oak.
Herringbone French White Oak Installation at Chateau de Fontanebleau.
A very famous castle in France floored in white oak is Chateau de Fontainebleau, home of French kings and Napoleon is floored in French White Oak along with the British House of Commons.
Today's French White Oak Floors
Engineered French White Oak is in many homes around the world.
What's not to love: it's durable; it resists vermin; it starts out light in color and can be modified with stain and other techniques to fit any color scheme; its texture can be treated to give it a rustic, weathered look.
You might be thinking, "A rustic weathered look might be good for a Florida beach house or any beachy environment."
You'd be right.
Engineered for modern homes
Maintenance and renewal are easy with an oil finish (which we recommend). It looks great in the light and light is what we have plenty of in Florida.
Efficient tongue and groove installation insures long term stability.
High tannin makes it resistant to insects, mold and fungus.
Great for Florida
The color of French white oak fits well with Florida's normally light and bright interior colors.
This oak is very versatile. It can be colored to match your design.
It can be treated to appear and act as elegant wood flooring or wire brushed to open the grooves between the grains to create a rustic look.
Sourcing
White oak is grown all over the world, but France's is considered the best.
Unfortunately, much of the White Oak marketed in the US as French white oak may not be French.
Our stock is sourced from Panaget, a French company with nearly a century of experience. They harvest white oak directly from French forests and manage all milling operations locally in France.
Come into one or our showrooms. See and feel samples.