Oak
Scientific Name: Quercus rubra (red oak) / Quercus alba (white oak)
Other Names and Species: Variations on the name for American red oak are numerous
and include the following:Black Oak, Buck Oak, Canadian Red Oak, Common Red Oak
Gray Oak, Eastern Red Oak, Leopard Oak, Maine Red Oak, Mountain Med Oak,Northern
Red Oak, Spanish Oak, Spotted Oak, Southern Red Oak, Swamp Red Oak,Water Oak .
General Characteristics: The heartwood and sapwood of red oak are similar in
appearance, which is light-colored with a reddish tone. It is slightly redder in color than
white oak, which can have a white to cream to light brown color. The grain of red oak is
open, and also somewhat coarser, and so more porous, than that of white oak, which
tends to have longer rays. These distinctive rays are what make white oak so prized for
construction of "Mission" style furniture and woodwork.
White oak is slightly harder than red oak, and also more durable. However, both types
are notably stiff and dense, have high shock resistance, and resist wear. Because of
the high concentration of tannic acid in white oak, it is particularly resistant to fungi and
insects.
Main Applications: Oak is practically synonymous with high-quality, durable, and
distinctively attractive wood floors. In addition, it is widely used in ship building,
furniture and veneers, kegs and casks, truck and trailer beds, caskets, paneling, and
mining timbers. Oak also makes a nice-burning fuel wood, and it yields tannin for the
formulation of dyes.
