Matt Truiano Posted April 26, 2020 Report Share Posted April 26, 2020 can anyone tell me what these spots are in this piece of red oak and will they be more or less noticeable if I stain it using a dark stain? Depending on the way the light hits it, they are either lighter or darker than the surrounding areas. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tpt life Posted April 26, 2020 Report Share Posted April 26, 2020 That’s oak. Fleck is a characteristic of the grain. I have nothing to offer as I have never heard anyone try to hide it. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phinds Posted April 26, 2020 Report Share Posted April 26, 2020 As Tpt life said, it's a characteristic of oak and most people WANT it, which is why they buy quartersawn oak, especially white oak. A stain will likely emphasize the flakes. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
curlyoak Posted April 26, 2020 Report Share Posted April 26, 2020 I like it as it is also. I sometimes embellish defects. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drzaius Posted April 26, 2020 Report Share Posted April 26, 2020 44 minutes ago, curlyoak said: I like it as it is also. I sometimes embellish defects. Ray fleck is most definitely not a defect though. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wtnhighlander Posted April 27, 2020 Report Share Posted April 27, 2020 As mentioned, those features are a natural characteristic of oak, called "medullary rays". They appear most when the face of the board was cut perpendicular to the growth rings, and are usually considered an enhancement. In small pieces, though, they can appear overwhelming. Tge same is true of any complex grain figure, IMO. Your box looks very nice, and yes, staining the wood will tend to emphasize the ray flecks. The fleck isn't excessive, so really, the piece looks pretty darn cool. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post phinds Posted April 27, 2020 Popular Post Report Share Posted April 27, 2020 This is a pic of the floor taken at the National Portrait Gallery in Wash. DC. The building was built over 150 years ago and I believe this is the original wood and is magnificent old growth white oak. I had to work to keep from laughing out loud while I was taking the pics because here I was in the premier American portrait gallery, with everyone going "ohh" and "ahh" over portraits by Gilbert Stuart and Whistler and others and some of them were looking at me like I was insane because there I was going around taking pics of the FLOOR. The orange color is accurate and is no doubt due to 150+ years of aging of the wood and the finish. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
curlyoak Posted April 27, 2020 Report Share Posted April 27, 2020 6 hours ago, drzaius said: Ray fleck is most definitely not a defect though. My comment was about the brown streak that was the issue of this thread. I love fleck and I agree it is not defective! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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