Here’s the scoop on getting your oak project started off right.
The few woods that’s often available in different figures or grain patterns. So to make the right choice, it’s very helpful to have a good “working” knowledge of the different types of oak.
TWO MAIN TYPES.
The many species of oaks are generally divided into two groups — the red oaks and the white oaks. And out of these two groups come the two species that are widely marketed for lumber — Northern Red Oak and Eastern White Oak. You’ll find other species of oak being used for lumber but not on a level with these two big guns of the oak world.
RED VS. WHITE.
Since the appearance of the wood in a project is always a major (if not the number one) factor, the differences here are a good place to start. Then I’ll get into a few other distinctions that can affect your choice.
When it comes down to it, even experienced woodworkers sometimes have a hard time telling red oak from white oak without a real close look. Both are “open-grained” woods with fairly large pores. And the pores are concentrated in distinct growth rings. The “ring porous” nature of oak is a major contributor to its appearance.
But take a look and you’ll see some of the subtle differences. The pores of red oak are a little larger and more densely bunched, so the grain pattern is a bit stronger. And the smaller pores of white oak make the surface seem a little smoother.
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| As you can see in the photos above, the three different “cuts” of oak can be very different in appearance. |
Red oak and white oak also differ a bit in color. But every “authority” has a different description. To me, red oak has a more consistent “tan” color from one board to another, and across a single board. White oak is usually slightly darker and is often much more variable from board to board. This difference can be an important point when choosing which oak to use for a project.
FIGURE.
Whether you’re talking about red or white oak, one of the things that affects the appearance of a board is the way it’s cut from the log. Oak can often be purchased in three different cuts or figures — plain or flatsawn, quartersawn, and riftsawn. The figure difference relates to how the surface of the board is oriented to the growth rings of the tree.
PLAINSAWN.
As the name implies, plainsawn boards are cut from the log with no special consideration to grain pattern. The annual rings usually form concentric arcs on the end of the board and the surface grain has a typical “cathedral” pattern. This is the easiest and most efficient way to cut boards from a log. And this is the type of red oak and white oak you’ll most commonly find at the lumberyard.
QUARTERSAWN.
There’s another way to cut oak that gives the boards a very unique figure. A quartersawn board is cut so that the annual rings are as close to perpendicular to the face as possible. When oak is quartersawn, the large, flat “rays” are exposed on the surface. These simply appear as dark, linear streaks on the surface of the plain sawn boards. The result of this is the characteristic “flake” figure often found on Craftsman-style furniture.
The rays of white oak are longer, so white oak usually has a more pronounced quartersawn figure than red oak. For this reason, quartersawn white oak is more sought after and commonly available than quartersawn red oak. But when a slightly more subtle quartersawn figure would look better, red oak can be a good choice.
RIFTSAWN.
Riftsawn oak falls in between quartersawn and plain sawn oak. This milling technique takes advantage of the ring porous nature of oak to create lumber with a linear figure. Here the boards are cut so that the annual rings are 30° to 60° to the face. This avoids the flake look of quartersawn oak while emphasizing the almost striped look created by the pores.
On a project, riftsawn oak gives you a very uniform look and makes matching boards much easier. If a strong riftsawn look is what you’re after, the larger pores of red oak give it the nod. The hall bench on page 22 is a good example of this.
LOOKS AREN’T EVERYTHING.
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| White Oak. You’ll often find a slightly darker color and denser texture in a white oak board. | Red Oak. The larger pores and lighter color give red oak a slightly stronger grain pattern. |
Besides appearance, there are a few other characteristics that can affect your choice. Both oaks own a well-deserved reputation for being hard and heavy when compared to other commonly used woods. White oak can claim top prize in this category. It’s about 10% heavier than red oak and consequently a bit denser and harder. Just another point to keep in mind.
As any woodworker can tell you, different woods have their own working characteristics. The two oaks are no exception. I don’t think you’ll notice too much difference between red and white oak when working with power tools. Both can be cut on the table saw, jointed, planed and routed easily.
But when it comes to hand work, you’ll notice a bit of a difference. The hardness and
density of white oak can make operations like hand planing or paring with a chisel a challenge. So if your project involves hand work, red oak may be the wiser choice.
AN OUTDOOR PROJECT.
Finally, I should mention one other distinction. If you’re building an outdoor project that will be exposed to the weather, your best choice is usually white oak. White oak is essentially waterproof (it’s the oak used to make barrels) and is fairly decay resistant. Red oak doesn’t have these properties and won’t hold up to the elements nearly as well.
PLYWOOD TO MATCH?
What about mixing solid wood and plywood in a project? Due to availability, this can sometimes be a sticking point. Plainsawn or rotary cut red oak plywood is easy to find while white oak plywood is becoming more common. And both types are sometimes available with a quartersawn or riftsawn figure, but you might have to do some serious searching or put in a special order with your lumber supplier.
I guess the really good news here is that building with oak gives you lots of options and it’s hard to go wrong. Whichever oak you choose, your project will look great.
