Bog Oak

Bog Oak, much like Brown Oak, is not a specific species, but is rather a term that designates oak that has been buried in a peat bog for hundreds or sometimes thousands of years. The extremely low oxygen conditions of the bog protect the wood from normal decay, while the underlying peat provides acidic conditions where iron salts and other minerals react with the tannins in the wood, gradually giving it a distinct dark brown to almost black color.

Though Bog Oak does not describe a specific tree, it tends to most frequently occur in the United Kingdom, with English Oak being the most commonly salvaged species taken from bogs. Since there is such a limited supply of the wood—with Bog Oak essentially being the very early stages of fossilization—prices for this type of wood are very high.

A special thanks to Steve Earis for providing the wood sample of this wood species.

Bog Oak (sanded)
Bog Oak (sanded)
Bog Oak (sealed)
Bog Oak (sealed)
Bog Oak (endgrain)
Bog Oak (endgrain)
Bog Oak (endgrain 10x)
Bog Oak (endgrain 10x)

Related Species:

Related Articles:

Subscribe
Notify of
guest
9 Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
Ed Davidson

This yo-yo is made from Russian Bog Oak, radiocarbon dated to be 3,720 +/- 50 years old.

Alex

I propose a natural marine relic Bog Oak with the age of 8110 years-https://www.bogoak.biz

Robert S

I think it would work best for the fret/finger board.

jaap

not in the uk most bog oak can be found on the bogs of ireland. if you want some, wait till they are digging for turf, they throw aside the bog oak and you can pick it up as much as you want.

Joe

And it stinks as rotten cheese.

Joe

I’ve bought this wood thinking that it would be amazing but is the worst wood i’ve ever found, At the first sight it looks like a dark oak, some minutes after every cut it bends, the day after the shape is completly crocked.

Timothy Tikker

The pipe organ built by Jürgen Ahrend of Leer-Loga, Germany in 1972 for Beall Concert Hall at the University of Oregon at Eugene had sharp keys made of bog oak. Unforunately, in about ten years or so these hard worn down from constant playing, so that the surface of the keys had become quite rough and sinewy to the touch. So these keys were replaced with an exotic blackwood. I was an organ student at UO 1981-83.

Chris Budesa

from time to time carved Bog Oak items are offered for sale which have originated in Ireland.