Are You Prepared to Meet Customer Expectations When They Want White Oak?
Bourbon barrels and flooring are taking all the white oak they can. There is no such thing as premium or select for white oak. The internet says it exists, but it doesn’t exist anymore. It did — maybe even a year ago — and sometimes you just get lucky and get cleaner looking wood.
We wrote an article that addresses the characteristics of white oak – the good, the bad and the ugly.
Right now wipe stains and translucent paints are all the rage, but are you prepared for customer expectations?
To prepare your clients and protect yourself, take these precautions:
- Give your customer a copy of the spec book pages detailing the characteristics of white oak. We’ve compiled examples from several different cabinet manufacturers.
- Tell them clearly that variation in tone is not necessarily a manufacturer quality issue. Yes, if the color is truly off (like the top in the video below), but no if the color is a natural variation.
We encourage you to have several White Oak doors, in different cuts and finishes, available to show clients. By showing multiple samples and explaining the unique features of White Oak, especially Quarter Sawn and Rift Cut, your clients will be able to make an informed decision about the wood for their new cabinets.
The cabinet manufacturer is replacing the fronts shown in the picture, however, with no guarantees because of the natural variations of White Oak.
A Disclaimer to Use If Necessary
White Oak with Light Stains – Natural Variation Notice. White oak has a wide range of natural color tones, from creamy white sapwood to darker tan and brown heartwood. When finished with a light or natural stain, these differences are more visible and may appear within the same door or cabinet. Rift- and quartersawn cuts may also show distinctive grain patterns and ray fleck.
Flat-sawn vs. rift/quartersawn boards reflect light differently, so the same stain looks darker/lighter depending on cut. Lighter stains don’t mask variation, they highlight it.
These variations are not defects but a natural characteristic of the wood. No two doors or cabinets will be identical, and exact color uniformity cannot be guaranteed.
Don't Get Burned
In the video below, you’ll get to hear an actual retail customer’s unfiltered comments as to her expectations for how light finished wood should look.
The dealer has performed work in numerous rooms for this customer, including the kitchen. They have an existing relationship and trust, yet the customer has turned adversarial very quickly. Protect yourself regardless of history.
A couple of notes regarding the video that shows a rift cut white oak installation for a home office.
- The dealer recommended a color that would have contrasted more, but the homeowner wanted what they wanted.
- The sheen is very low-8 to be precise for this finish. 8 sheen is the manufacturer’s standard for this color and other colors for their Quarter Sawn White and Rift Sawn White Oak offering
- The countertop is being replaced as the manufacturer missed the mark on this. Personally, I have never been a fan of wood veneer tops. However, solid wood tops get expensive and have some other potentially negative issues.
- Note the contrast in the color of the floor..