Difference in Oaks

[Robert Speier]

I know this is a turning site but I'm on a project of building a clock out of Oak. It's fitting for the style. My question is what's the difference between White and Red Oak other then probably the species. Thanks for your help.

[Mike Tilley]

Robert
My experience is that red oak will stain and finish with more color than white. To me white is sort of bland. This is using it for trim casing and base.
turning I have only used red oak.

[robert baccus]

There is probably 25 of each in this country---good luck. Google them up maybe.

[Tom Wilson66]

One of the diffferences is that red oak is a light red or pinkish color, and white oak has a light brown or tan color. This won't matter if you are dieing the piece. Another difference is that the white oak has a larger medullary ray, which will give a larger fleck pattern to flat and quarter sawn wood, which is desireable in some styles of furniture, such as the Craftsman style.

[John Thorson]

Also red oak has 'open' pores while the white oak's is water tight (one of the reasons it is used in wine barrels) with the pores filled as the tree grows. This affects how the two woods take stain, etc. For a turner using a vacuum chuck on red oak can be a challenge, it is that porous.

[Russell Neyman]

Oak is mostly a crappy turning wood. Having said that, my buddy brought back some wonderful stuff from Oregon last year that I can only desribe as "creamy" -- easy to turn with spirals shooting across the room. So the Oregon stuff apparently is better turning stuff.

[Robert Speier]

​thanks everyone, good info

[Thom Sturgill]

Oak, any species, tends to move more than many other domestic woods. A vase I turned endgrain is v-e-r-y oval - over 1/4" on a 2" round. It was very wet when turned. Assp white oak has more tannin so works with the ammonia treatment popular with Morris chair makers.

[William Bachtel]

Don't forget White Oak is rot resistent and good for outside, Red Oak is not, it rots fast if left in the weather.

[robert baccus]

The pores in white oak are closed with tyloses but only the heartwood. The sapwood has open pores. Important if you are making whisky barrels.

[Paul Hinds]

Red oak can be a real pain, as already mentioned, because of the extreme porousity. Many years ago, before I realized what an issue that is, I did a project which required gluing up a couple of 3/4" red oak planks face to face, which were then to be cut on an angle at the ends. I put plenty of glue between the two, clamped them, let it cure for a couple of days, and then cut the angle. The angled surface next to the joint, and out for easily 1/2" on both sides, was clogged with dried glue, so the finish I put on looked blotchy as all get-out.

[Bill Orbine]

White Oak usually has larger, more pronounce medullary rays. Very popular as quarter saw lumbers.

[robert baccus]

I've worked and turned a lot of red oak with no problems that are unique. I suggest your glue up was a combination of too little clamping pressure and too much glue. A slight cupping would produce such as that.