Are you looking for locally milled and manufactured oak office furniture? San Diego isn’t exactly a booming lumber source. That’s because most of the oak trees that thrive in the coastal regions of California are live oaks. These range from scrubby specimens to full blown shade trees often used in landscaping. Their twisting branches and squat trunks make these species poor choices for furniture.

The grain is very gnarled and the wood cannot be evenly split – making it difficult to work. Even so, it is an incredibly strong wood from a structural standpoint and highly resistant to water damage. It’s most famous historical use is in the battleship “Old Ironsides”. Of course, back when that ship was built there were still old growth live oaks large enough to actually provide sizable pieces of lumber. These days, live oaks that are cut down are usually just used for firewood.

Most solid wood office furniture made of oak is constructed from white or red hardwood varieties that have a long, attractive grain. This wood must be properly cured so that it will not warp over time. Oak is also used as a veneer over less expensive materials such as wood composites or Asian hardwoods.