Wood Guide · Europe
Croatian & European Hardwoods
From Istrian olive to Slavonian oak — what changes hardness, colour and care.
Photo: Lovro Rumiha, CC BY 2.0
New here? Read Why boards differ on the Wood Guide overview — then compare species below.
Olive Wood
Olea europaea · Mediterranean, including Croatia (Istria & Dalmatia)
+142% harder than European oak · +45% denser
Unique swirling grain — every board one of a kind; yellow to light reddish brown with darker veins. Colour: Deepens / ambers with age and oil.
Suitable forServing BoardsUnique Small Pieces
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Dense and fine-textured; needs regular oiling. May check if dried badly or left soaking wet. Not CITES-listed.
Signature for Oak & Ore: every olive board is one of a kind.
Faint bar = European oak reference
European Species at a Glance
Figures vs pedunculate oak baseline
Pedunculate Oak
Quercus robur · hrast lužnjak
About as hard as European oak · similar density
Colour & grain: Light to medium brown, open pores, classic oak figure. Deepens with oil; outdoors greys without finish
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Our European oak baseline for comparisons. Familiar, workable, and widely available when well dried.
Sessile Oak
Quercus petraea · hrast kitnjak
About as hard as European oak · +5% denser
Colour & grain: Similar to pedunculate oak; often slightly denser feel. Deepens with oil; outdoors greys without finish
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Same Janka average as pedunculate oak in our source table; density a little higher. Photo: oak grain sample (same visual family).
European Beech
Fagus sylvatica · bukva
+29% harder than European oak · +5% denser
Colour & grain: Pale cream to pinkish, fine even texture. Can yellow / pink with light and finish
Suitable forCutting BoardsServing BoardsIndoor Furniture Accents
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Harder than oak on average; moves more with humidity — good indoor boards when finished and cared for.
European Ash
Fraxinus excelsior · obični jasen
+32% harder than European oak · +1% denser
Colour & grain: Pale with bold open grain, elastic feel. Stays pale; oil warms it slightly
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Tough and springy. Poor untreated outdoor durability — keep indoor or well finished.
European Walnut
Juglans regia · orah
+9% harder than European oak · -5% denser
Colour & grain: Chocolate to grey-brown, often elegant figure. Deepens with oil and age
Suitable forServing BoardsDecorPremium Accents
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Classic warm dark tone for special pieces. Softer than beech/ash; shows knife marks more readily than hard maple.
Sweet Cherry
Prunus avium · divlja trešnja
+3% harder than European oak · -11% denser
Colour & grain: Warm pink-brown, fine texture. Darkens / reddens with light and age
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Beautiful ageing colour. Softer than oak — expect more visible wear on a hard-use cutting board.
Sycamore Maple
Acer pseudoplatanus · gorski javor
-6% vs European oak hardness · -9% denser
Colour & grain: Pale cream, fine; sometimes wavy figure. Stays pale; can yellow slightly
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Not as hard as American hard maple. Clean pale look for food boards when well finished.
European Hornbeam
Carpinus betulus · grab
+46% harder than European oak · +9% denser
Colour & grain: Very pale, fine, tough fibre. Stays pale; oil warms slightly
Suitable forCutting BoardsHeavy-Wear Accents
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One of Europe’s toughest common hardwoods — excellent wear resistance for chopping surfaces.
Black Locust / Robinia
Robinia pseudoacacia · bagrem
+52% harder than European oak · +14% denser
Colour & grain: Golden-olive heartwood, coarse. Heartwood browns; outdoors greys
Suitable forOutdoor AccentsDecorCutting Boards
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Naturally durable heartwood when correctly specified. Greenish-yellow when fresh.
Elm
Ulmus procera (reference); other Ulmus differ
-28% vs European oak hardness · -16% denser
Colour & grain: Interlocked, often wild figure (sample may show burl). Warm brown; oil deepens
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Identification matters — species differ. Softer than oak; better as character wood than a hard-use board.
Sweet Chestnut
Castanea sativa · pitomi kesten
-39% vs European oak hardness · -13% denser
Colour & grain: Similar to oak but usually softer, open pores. Golden brown; deepens with oil
Suitable forServing BoardsDecor
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Oak-like look at lower hardness — knife marks show more readily than oak or beech.
Pear
Pyrus communis
+48% harder than European oak · +2% denser
Colour & grain: Pale pink to light reddish brown, very fine and even texture. Mellows with age; steamed pear is pinker
Suitable forServing BoardsUtensilsCarved & Turned Pieces
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Premium European fruitwood, prized for crisp detail. Not durable outdoors. Not CITES-listed. Photo: pear board (CC BY-SA 3.0).