Popular Types of Oak Wood For Woodworking

Oak is a very popular hardwood that is used in all parts of the world. It looks beautiful and is easily available at a decent price, but what makes oak truly precious is the fact that you can use this wood for practically any purpose. From furniture making to construction, firewood and arts and crafts, it is popular and used everywhere. In this article, we will talk about the different types and species of oak wood.If you are looking to buy oak wood for a project, it might help to know about the different types or species of oak. Because different oak species share similar but slightly different properties, this guide to the types of oak wood can help you select the best variety for your project.About Oak Wood, Properties & UsesOak is a hardwood, particularly known for its unmatched beauty, ease of work and a reasonable price with worldwide availability. The colour of oak will range from light brown to dark red in different species and gets darker with age and exposure to sunlight. It is a durable wood and some species are resistant to decay and moisture.As a versatile wood, oak is adaptable and usable for any purpose. The wood is very easy to work with and is used for everything from making furniture to building frames, tables, barrels, flooring, decking, veneers, plywood, panelling, joinery, and more.Types of Oak WoodAll types of oak can be divided into two major categories: White Oak and Red Oak. The major difference between the two is that white oak has a closed pore structure, while red oak has open pores.There are almost 20 types of oak trees, of which only about 10 or 11 are used for wood.1. Red OakScientific Name: Quercus rubraDistribution: Northeastern U.S. and Southeastern CanadaJanka Hardness: 1,220 lbf (5,430 N)Colour: light to medium brown with a reddish cast, pale sapwoodTree height: 80-115 ft (25-35 m)Trunk diameter: 3-6 ft (1-2 m)Average Dried Weight: 43.8 lbs/ft3 (700 kg/m3)Grain: straight with uneven, coarse texturePores: large and openDurability: lowRot Resistance: poorWorkability: Easy to use, glue, stain and finishPricing & Availability: moderately priced, less expensive than white oakUses: Cabinetry, interior trim, flooring, furniture, and veneer2. White OakScientific Name: Quercus albaDistribution: Eastern U.S.Janka Hardness: 1,350 lbf (5,990 N)Colour: light to medium brown heartwood with an olive cast, Paler sapwoodTree height: 65-85 ft (20-25 m)Trunk diameter: 3-4 ft (1-1.2 m)Average Dried Weight: 47.0 lbs/ft3 (755 kg/m3)Grain: straight with coarse, uneven textureDurability: very highRot Resistance: very goodWorkability: Easy to use with both hand & machine tools. Glues, stains, bends and finishes wellPricing & Availability: moderately priced (more expensive than red oak)Uses: Cabinetry, boatbuilding, barrels, interior trim, flooring, furniture, and veneer3. Black OakType: Red oakScientific Name: Quercus velutinaDistribution: Eastern North AmericaJanka Hardness: 1,210 lbf (5,380 N)Colour: light to medium reddish-brownTree height: 65-80 ft (20-25 m)Trunk diameter: 3-5 ft (1-1.5 m)Average Dried Weight: 45 lbs/ft3 (715 kg/m3)Grain: coarsePores: medium-to-largeDurability: Slightly to non-durableRot Resistance: averageWorkability: Easy to use, glue, stain and finishPricing & Availability: moderately pricedUses: Cabinetry, interior trim, flooring, furniture, and veneer4. European Oak (English oak)Type: White oakScientific Name: Quercus roburDistribution: Europe, Asia Minor, North AfricaJanka Hardness: 1,120 lbf (4,980 N)Colour: light to medium brownTree height: 80-115 ft (24-35 m)Trunk diameter: 3-5 ft (1-1.5 m)Average Dried Weight: 42 lbs/ft3 (675 kg/m3)Grain: straight with uneven, coarse texture, sometimes irregular or interlocked grainPores: ring-porousDurability: GoodRot Resistance: very goodWorkability: Easy to use, glue, stain and finishPricing & Availability: widely available in Europe, moderately pricedUses: Cabinetry, barrels, boatbuilding, interior trim, decoration, flooring, furniture, and veneer5. Cherry Bark OakType: Red oakScientific Name: Quercus pagodaDistribution: Eastern U.S.Janka Hardness: 1,480 lbf (6,580 N)Colour: light to medium reddish-brownTree height: 80-100 ft (25-30 m)Trunk diameter: 3-5 ft (1-1.5 m)Average Dried Weight: 49 lbs/ft3 (785 kg/m3)Grain: coarsePores: medium-to-largeDurability: MinimalRot Resistance: averageWorkability: Easy to use, glue, stain and finishPricing & Availability: moderately pricedUses: Cabinetry, interior trim, flooring, furniture, and veneer6. Pin OakType: Red oakScientific Name: Quercus palustrisDistribution: Eastern U.S.Janka Hardness: 1,500 lbf (6,650 N)Colour: light to medium reddish-brownTree height: 50-75 ft (15-23 m)Trunk diameter: 2-4 ft (.6-1.2 m)Average Dried Weight: 44 lbs/ft3 (705 kg/m3)Grain: fairly coarsePores: medium-to-large ring-porousDurability: MinimalRot Resistance: averageWorkability: Easy to use, glue, stain and finishPricing & Availability: moderately pricedUses: Cabinetry, interior trim, flooring, furniture, and veneer7. California Black Oak (Kellogg Oak)Type: Red oakScientific Name: Quercus kelloggiiDistribution: Western U.S.Janka Hardness: 1,090 lbf (4,840 N)Colour: light to medium reddish-brownTree height: 65-80 ft (20-25 m)Trunk diameter: 3-4 ft (1-1.2 m)Average Dried Weight: 39 lbs/ft3 (620 kg/m3)Grain: coarsePores: medium-to-largeDurability: slightly durable to non-durableRot Resistance: averageWorkability: Easy to use, glue, stain and finishPricing & Availability: moderately pricedUses: Cabinetry, interior trim, flooring, furniture, and veneer8. Willow OakType: Red oakScientific Name: Quercus phellosDistribution: Eastern U.S.Janka Hardness: 1,460 lbf (6,490 N)Colour: light to medium reddish-brownTree height: 65-100 ft (20-30 m)Trunk diameter: 3-5 ft (1-1.5 m)Average Dried Weight: 48 lbs/ft3 (770 kg/m3)Grain: coarsePores: medium-to-largeDurability: MinimalRot Resistance: averageWorkability: Easy to use, glue, stain and finishPricing & Availability: moderately pricedUses: Cabinetry, interior trim, flooring, furniture, and veneer9. Bur OakType: White oakScientific Name: Quercus macrocarpaDistribution: Eastern and Midwestern U.S. and south-central CanadaJanka Hardness: 1,360 lbf (6,030 N)Colour: light to medium brownTree height: 80-100 ft (24-30 m)Trunk diameter: 3-5 ft (1-1.5 m)Average Dried Weight: 45 lbs/ft3 (725 kg/m3)Grain: coarsePores: medium-to-large, ring-porousDurability: AverageRot Resistance: very goodWorkability: Easy to use, glue, stain and finishPricing & Availability: moderately pricedUses: Cabinetry, barrels, boatbuilding, interior trim, flooring, furniture, and veneer10. North Red OakType: Red oakScientific Name: Quercus rubraDistribution: northeastern North AmericaJanka Hardness: 1,220 lbf (5,430 N)Colour: light to medium brown with a reddish cast, pale sapwoodTree height: 80-115 ft (25-35 m)Trunk diameter: 3-6 ft (1-2 m)Average Dried Weight: 43.8 lbs/ft3 (700 kg/m3)Grain: straight with uneven, coarse texturePores: large and openDurability: low durability but high strength and sturdinessRot Resistance: poorWorkability: Easy to use, glue, stain and finishPricing & Availability: moderately priced, less expensive than white oakUses: Cabinetry, interior trim, flooring, furniture, and veneer11. Chestnut OakType: White oakScientific Name: Quercus prinusDistribution: Eastern U.S.Janka Hardness: 1,130 lbf (5,030 N)Colour: light to medium brownTree height: 60-70 ft (18-22 m)Trunk diameter: 2-4 ft (.6-1.2 m)Average Dried Weight: 47 lbs/ft3 (750 kg/m3)Grain: fairly coarsePores: medium-to-largeDurability: GoodRot Resistance: Very goodWorkability: Easy to use, glue, stain and finishPricing & Availability: moderately pricedUses: Cabinetry, boatbuilding, barrels, interior trim, flooring, furniture, and veneerOther less famous types of oak and similar species include hairy oak, southern silky oak, northern silky oak, bog oak, sessile oak, turkey oak, Japanese oak, Oregon white oak, brown oak, Shumard oak, holm oak, live oak, scarlet oak, southern red oak, post oak, Laurel oak, overcup oak, and water oak.

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