Red Oak, White Oak, What’s The Difference Anyways?

Red oak and white oak are two of the most iconic American hardwoods. They are widely used in flooring, cabinetry, furniture and tim across the country. Beauty, availability and reasonable prices make this lumber ideal for your next project, but what’s the difference between white oak and red oak anyways? 

Although similar in a lot of ways, there are a handful of characteristics that differentiate the species: 

  • Technical Names:
    • White Oak: Quercus Alba
    • Northern Red Oak: Quercus Rubra
  • Hardness
    • White Oak: 1360 on the Janka scale
    • Red Oak: 1290 on the Janka scale
    • Comments: With white oak being somewhat harder it will be slightly more durable in flooring or other high traffic areas. Driving nails into white oak tends to be a little more difficult too. 
  • Density
    • White Oak Specific Gravity: 0.68
    • Red Oak Specific Gravity: 0.63
    • Comments: Recall that the baseline is water which has a specific gravity of 1.0 Higher density means White Oak is going to be a heavier material to work with. 
  • Color
    • White Oak: Somewhat darker than red oak with shades of gray muting the overall tone. 
    • Red Oak: Lighter browns with a red hue make the raw wood a bit brighter. 
    • Comments: The color contrast is evident when the finished product is clear coated a natural tone without any stain. When staining the finished project it’s possible to achieve an almost identical pallet of color using either species. 
  • Closed Cell vs Open Cell
    • White Oak: Closed cell structure. Think of the vessels in wood like straws. The straws are filled with extractives that clog the passages as the white Oak sapwood turns into heartwood. 
    • Red Oak: Open cell structure. The vessels of red oak are not filled with extractives. 
    • Comments: The closed cell structure of white oak makes it deal for use in whiskey or wine barrels. If red oak was used the contents would slowly seep out of the vessels.  
  • Rot Resistance
    • White Oak: Naturally resistant to rot and decay. The closed cell structure and specific extractives present significantly slow the breakdown of wood when exposed to the elements. 
    • Red Oak: does not share the same decay resistance
    • Comments: White oak is strongly preferred over red oak in fences or ground contacting beams. Both white and red oak will last for generations if well finished and kept dry in interior applications. If you’re interested in the process of building white oak barrels check out this link: https://silveroak.com/blog/making-an-american-oak-barrel/ 
  • Cost
    • White Oak: Frequently seen for more than 2X the cost of Red Oak (Minnesota in 2024). White Oaks grows slower than red, but the main cost driver right now is increased demand. 
    • Red Oak: Currently lower cost than white oak. Perhaps the hangover from the 1990’s Golden Oak interiors is still cramping demand. 
    • Comments: If you’re willing to pay the premium, quarter sawn or rift sawn white oak is truly a beautiful option. 

So which is right for you? Both are great options. Here at H&H Lumber we have seen trends towards white oak for casework and baseboard millwork, while red oak is still a more popular tongue and groove wall paneling. Reach out or stop by in person and we can help you find the perfect lumber for your next project. Drop us a line and we will get back to you soon: https://hhlumbermn.com/contact/

Red oak Rustic circle saw texture tongue and groove paneling from H&H Lumber
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