Specs
- Common Names
- White oak
- Scientific Name
- Quercus alba
- Origin
- Eastern United States
- Appearance
- Heartwood is a light to medium brown, commonly with an olive cast. Paler sapwood is not always sharply demarcated from the heartwood. Quartersawn sections display prominent ray fleck patterns (see images below). Red oak (Quercus rubra) tends to have a slightly redder cast (as opposed to olive), but color alone isn’t always a reliable method of determining the type of oak. Grain is straight, with a coarse, uneven texture.
- Avg. Dried Weight
- 47 lbs/ft3 (755 kg/m3)
- Janka Hardness
- 1350 lbf
- Modulus of Rupture
- 14,830 lbf/in2 (102.3 MPa)
- Elastic Modulus
- 1,762,000 lbf/in2 (12.15 GPa)
- Crushing Strength
- 7,370 lbf/in2 (50.8 MPa)
- Shrinkage
- Radial: 5.6%, Tangential: 10.5%
- Durability
- Rated as very durable; frequently used in boatbuilding and tight cooperage applications.
- Workability
- Produces good results with hand and machine tools. Has moderately high shrinkage values, resulting in mediocre dimensional stability, especially in flatsawn boards. Can react with iron (particularly when wet) and cause staining and discoloration. Responds well to steam-bending. Glues, stains, and finishes well.
