Oak, White

Fast Facts

Color: Heartwood is light brown and can sometimes have a gray or pink cast. Sapwood is white to pale cream.

Grain: Open grain long rays with occasional crotches, swirls and burls. Plainsawn boards have a plumed or flared grain appearance. Riftsawn has a tight grain pattern with low figuring. Quartersawn has a flake pattern called tiger rays or butterflies.

Variations within Species and Grades: There are some variations in color and grain but the differences are not as pronounced as in red oak.

Hardness/Janka: Slightly above average at 1,360.

Dimensional Stability: 1-.5.

Sawing/Machining: One of the easiest woods to machine.

Sanding: Sands well when sanded in proper sequence.

Nailing: No nailing problems.

Finishing: Tannins from the wood can react with certain liquids, like bleach and water-based finish, and cause staining.

Availability: Widely available.

What is White Oak?

White oak subspecies are indigenous to North America, southeastern Canada, Mexico, and Central America. In the 18th century oak was introduced to Europe.

While the color is a very light brown and can have a pinkish or grayish cast. the grain is open with long rays distinguished with occasional crotches, swirls and burls. Grain patterns are determined by machining; plainsawn boards have a plumed or flared grain appearance. Riftsawn has a tight grain pattern with low figuring. Quartersawn has a flake pattern, also called tiger rays or butterflies.

White oak is popular for adaptability. The great news is that it flourishes in many different kinds of soils and climates.

White Oak Usage

White oak has always been known for its beauty, strength and durability. It is historically used for interior woodwork, flooring and paneling, furniture, boxes and crates, coffins, timbers, pallets, handles, agricultural tools, and flooring. It is also used in outdoor construction, boat hulls and wine barrels. Aging wine in oak barrels infuses the wine with a unique flavor.

Durability

The Janka scale uses 0.444” steel ball pushed into a 2’’ x 2’’ x 6’’ piece to determine how hard the wood is.

White oak is rated at 1,360, making it very durable and long wearing. White oak is manufactured as solid flooring planks or veneer surface for engineered flooring. Solid white oak flooring can be sanded and refinished up to seven times over the life of the floor. High-end engineered flooring may be sanded up to five times. High-end manufactured flooring can be as costly – or more – than solid wood, but has advantages in areas of high humidity and can be installed at or below grade, unlike solid wood. Lower-end engineered flooring can not be sanded, but can be stripped and re-varnished. White oak is exceptionally durable and is one of the woods most often reclaimed from old buildings and boats and recycled for new use.

Workability

White oak is one of the easiest woods to work with. It is also easy to sand and takes finish well. Another thing you should keep in mind is that white oak is easily stained when tannins pull from the wood into water-based finished or products containing wood bleach.

We recommend pre-boring, but the wood will hold the nails well. White oak flooring can be floated, nailed, stapled, or glued.

Where to Use

White oak has natural, rustic warmth, but as with most of hardwoods, it’s best to avoid rooms where standing water is common (for example bathrooms).

The great side is that white oak will do well in almost any other room. It can stand up to heavy traffic and wears extremely well. Placing pads under furniture legs, rugs or runners in high traffic areas and keeping pet nails clipped will help protect your floor.

Care and Maintenance

All wood flooring is easy to care for when treated with respect.

Dents and scratches from heavy traffic, impacts, spiked shoes, furniture, or pet nails can damage your floor. Excess water will your floor, so it is very important to clean up wet spills immediately.

Sweeping or vacuuming regularly and an occasional pass with a damp mop is all you need to do. If your floor is waxed, an occasional buffing will restore the shine and also remove any scuff marks.

Environmental Issues

White oak is a highly sustainable resource and an environmentally sound from approved sources.

Furthermore, since most white oak flooring is grown and manufactured in the United States, you can be confident that is legally logged.