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View Full Version : Is this log red oak?



Robert Reece
11-10-2009, 12:11 PM
See attached. It's a big log, 3' diameter. Considering cutting it up into wood, but I would prefer white oak. It sure looks red to me though, so I just want confirmation.

Lee Koepke
11-10-2009, 12:18 PM
The leaves would give good clues.

scott spencer
11-10-2009, 12:24 PM
It could be...the leaves on the ground in the pic are oak.

Lee Koepke
11-10-2009, 12:34 PM
http://www.extension.umn.edu/distribution/naturalresources/images/5936-09.jpg

the above link is white oak

the link below is red oak.

http://www.woodmagic.vt.edu/kids/woodid/redoak.htm

Robert Reece
11-10-2009, 12:43 PM
This tree died about a year ago so it only sprouted some suckers off the trunk this year, then they died in August or so. So I have some dead leaves from the tree and they appear to be red oak.

7 lobes and pointy.

Chip Lindley
11-10-2009, 1:35 PM
Easiest way to tell is leaves. Red oaks have pointed leaves; white has rounded leaves.

Smell gives away red oak. It is definitely acrid and sour-smelling. White oak has a more pleasing scent with a sweetness to it.

White oak bark has a definite whiteish cast to it. Red oak bark is darker, almost black in some species as in the black oak! The best red oaks for lumber have bark which resembles varicose veins running up and down, instead of rough scaly bark as in the black oak.

Sawn wood of the red oak is quite pinkish. White oak more tannish in color.

Scott T Smith
11-13-2009, 12:31 AM
It looks like red oak to me. 36" diameter would sure produce some nice quartersawn boards...

Mike Circo
11-13-2009, 12:37 AM
One of the easiest ways of telling red oak from white oak is to look at the end grain under a loupe or magnifier.

Cut off a piece of end. Using a sharp chisel shave off a slice of end grain. If the end grain has what looks like a series of open soda straw ends, then it is RED oak. If instead the soda straws look plugged up with material, then it is White oak.

Once you know the difference it is a quick process to see.

m

Darrell Bottoms
11-13-2009, 12:42 AM
if the leaves are pointy, I believe it would be red oak.

Eric Meier
11-13-2009, 1:26 PM
It sounds like you've already confirmed that it's red oak, but just to reiterate, most of the stuff that was discussed on this thread is illustrated/photographed here:

Distinguishing Red and White Oak (http://www.wood-database.com/wood-articles/distinguishing-red-oak-from-white-oak/)