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When it comes down to it, red oak and white oak are two different species of plants.

But let’s not get lost in the weeds. When it comes to woodworking, the differences are mainly cosmetic.

We made the video above to hit on the parts that might be important to a person looking to build a project out of oak. So give it a spin to get a little more info on:

  • Why choose one over the other?
  • Are there reasons to avoid either type of oak?
  • Is red oak better than white oak?
  • What should I know about using either one in my projects?

Color

Don’t be fooled by their names – red oak and white oak are the names of the trees. The red oak name comes form the color of its autumn leaves, and white oak is so named for the light gray color of the bark.

Nevertheless, red and white oak do look different in color.

White oak is darker and more brown-tan than red oak, while somewhat more rugged looking.

Red oak is more of a wheat color, sometimes (and coincidentally) with a tinge of pink.

Both take stains really well, thanks to their open grain, but not equally. So don’t mix the two types of woods unless you’re deliberate about that choice.

Why Pick One Over The Other?

Both are hard, tough and durable. White oak more so than red, but in woodworking the difference hardly matters. Both work great for furniture and flooring.

White oak wins for outdoor projects, though. In quick terms, white oak contains a couple of properties that allow it to repel water and resist rotting way better than red oak.

Red oak is generally cheaper, and since it takes stains and dyes so easily, you can make it any color. So if you’re okay with how it looks, it’ll be a good, bold, and economical wood to use.

These days white oak has a lot of traction among designers – it has an earthier color and it’s more frequently sawn for rift or quarter sawn boards.

Project Pictures – Inspiration

Here are a few of our favorite projects using red or white oak:

Vice President of Operations – Woodworkers Source
We’re a family-owned lumber & woodworking supply retailer with 3 delightful stores in Arizona, and 35 friendly employees.
Mark oversees the company and creates tutorials on wood finishing and woodworking tips for hardwood lumber.

Woodworkers Source is a division of MacBeath Hardwood Co.


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