This one is one of my favorites. Such beauty nature provides, the medullary rays, or ray flakes cross-hatching the white oak’s prominent grain that only quarter-sawing reveals. And the comparative density of the flakes resists the stain making them lighter, a contrast accentuated by the oil and varnish finish. I love that I can just cut straight lines, in this case a slim, 5/8″ wide face, then get out of the way and let nature inscribe it.
This is an interesting shot. The same stain, Weathered Oak, was used for the maple tabletop and the oak frame. You can compare the grain pattern and cooler color of the maple versus the oak.
It this reflection you can see another quality of white oak: The deep, staccato pores of the grain. This keeps the texture more tactile and lively than the maple of the tabletop around it.
