WHITE OAK HARDWOOD
APPEARANCE
Color: Heartwood is light brown; some boards may have a pinkish tint or a slight grayish cast. Sapwood is white to cream.
Grain: Open, with longer rays than red oak. Occasional crotches, swirls and burls. Plainsawn boards have a plumed or flared grain appearance; riftsawn has a tighter grain pattern, low figuring; quartersawn has a flake pattern, sometimes called tiger rays or butterflies.
Variations within species and grades: Considerable variation among boards in color and grain texture, but variations not as pronounced as in red oak.
PROPERTIES
- Hardness (Janka): 1360; 5% harder than Northern red oak.
- Durability: More durable than red oak. Tannic acid in the wood protects it from fungi and insects.
WORKABILITY
- Sawing/Machining: Excellent machining qualities.
- Sanding: Sands satisfactorily.
- Nailing: Good resistance to splitting; excellent holding ability.
- Finishing: Absorbs finishes more evenly than red oak. Does not bleach well
