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5 min read
Oak that moves
Green oak shrinks, twists and checks. We design for it instead of fighting it.
Green, not kiln dried
For structural repairs we use green oak, cut in the same season it was felled. It is easier to work and it behaves like the timbers it sits beside. It will also shrink by a few millimetres in every direction over its first years.
So the joints are pegged, not glued, and drawn tight with offset holes. As the oak dries, the pegs pull the joint closer rather than letting it open.
Letting it show
Checks will open along the grain. They look alarming to a new owner and they are almost never a problem. Every handover pack has a page explaining which cracks are expected and which ones we want a call about.
