V012 – SYCAMORE QUARTER

Paradoxically, red oak is sought after for use as front veneer in the furniture and door sector, as it is similar in color to white oak, i.e. light. Unlike white oak, it cannot be used as barrel wood because the pores are not clogged.

One of the most common furniture woods in the USA. In recent years, hard maple has also gained a foothold in Europe as a furniture wood, especially as a "replacement wood" for pear, alder or maple in unsteamed white or muted pink tones. Due to its abrasion resistance, it is also used as a hard-wearing parquet wood in gymnasiums, etc. Turned as spools, shuttles, or billiard cues.

Tiny knots in the grain resemble small bird’s eyes. The figure is reportedly caused by unfavorable growing conditions for the tree. The tree attempts to start numerous new buds to get more sunlight, but with poor growing conditions the new shoots are aborted, and afterward, some tiny knots remain.

Has a very conspicuous flecking that gives this wood its namesake. The wood itself is a reddish brown with grey or light brown rays, which result in a lace pattern when quartersawn. Like other woods that exhibit the strongest figure in quartersawn pieces, (such as Sycamore), Lacewood has the most pronounced figure and displays the largest flecks when perfectly quartersawn; this is due to the wood’s wide medullary rays, whose layout can be seen the clearest when looking at the end grain.