80+ Red Oak Flooring Vs White Oak

Red oak vs white oak.

Red oak flooring vs white oak. However, with planks that are 5” or wider, white oak tends to be more expensive. For those that love the darker ebony, it often shows even better on the white oak floors as the white oak is a bit darker/more yellow whereas the red oak floors are a bit more red. Hickory is more expensive than oak. White oak has a smoother and cleaner look.

Select rift & quartered red oak hardwood flooring 2. White oak flooring has been noted as being harder than red oak with a janka hardness rating of approximately 1360. Surprisingly, white oak tends to be a bit darker and has more beige and brownish hues, while red oak color has more salmon and pink undertones. Because of the graining, red oak tends to lend itself to more rustic homes, while white oak fits better in contemporary and modern homes.

For red oak, the consensus is that since it is more abundant in the united states, it tends to be slightly more affordable. Compared to birch or maple, red oak finishes and stains easily and doesn’t have blotching problems. The most obvious difference between the two types of oak flooring is their color. White oak tends to be more dense, while red oak is a bit lighter and has a more porous and open grain.

Red oak tends to have a more distinctive grain than white oak, which is smoother. When it comes to staining red oak vs. Both species of oak rank among the hardest of the hardwoods. White oak is cheaper than red oak.

Over time the pink tones in red oak tend to fade and take on a look more appropriate for white oak. Clear rq white oak compared to a s&b red oak rift & quarter sawn is significant! This makes it a bit more resilient when it comes to denting. Because the open pores in red oak absorb stain, the grain patterns become very evident when a dark stain is used as a finish.

Red oak color is lighter than white oak. If maple is at the top of the hardness scale, white oak ranks one point under it, with red oak ranking one point below white oak. Grain identification of white oak vs red oak. The most significant difference between red oak and white oak flooring is in their color.

Please note that matching hardwood is a bit more complex than simply matching red oak vs. The pores are so large, some people say you can blow into one end of the wood and air will come out on the opposite end. Red oak should only be used for interior pieces such as cabinets, indoor furniture, flooring, etc. Note that this does not have an impact on scratching…that is determined by the type of polyurethane or finish.

White oak, as compared to red oak, is water tight and is used to make wine and whiskey barrels. White oak flooring has less pronounced finer graining and warmer golden brown tones. The most reliable separation of red oak and white oak wood comes by using the number, arrangement, size, shape and wall thickness of the small pores, which are called latewood vessels (lwv). Here is a link that might be useful:

Red oak tends to have a pretty heavy grain, while white oak has a smoother look. Red oak has pinkish and red tones throughout. They vary in a few important ways that i will discuss. Recently survey shows the price of hickory flooring to range from $3.2 to $7.5 while oak flooring range from $2.6 to $5.8.

Red oak is not quite as hard as white oak: If you want a more unified, less busy floor, then white oak is the better option as there is less variation in the grain. Because it is harder, it accepts stain color more evenly than red oak flooring does. Red oak vs white oak bark.

White oak can hold water because the “open” pores are filled with tyloses, which looks like foam. As a result red oak can be seen as having more character and is perceived as more traditional, while white oak has a more modern and rating 1360 on the janka hardness scale while red oak is just 1290. Separate boards of white oak lumber may be dark brown, light brown, or brown with yellow tones. On the janka hardness scale, white oak is 1360 and red oak is 1290.

If you’re looking for a floor that has a great deal of character in the grain, then red oak is best for you. But, as i mentioned above, even though red oak is a bit less hard, it tends to show the dents a bit less. I am certainly not making a recommendation one way or the other. White cabinets are very in style and by far the most popular and look amazing w/ dark hardwood, regardless of whether it is red oak or white oak.

Also, there are differences in grades of hardwood flooring (e.g. These are the pores that form in the later part of the growth in a year. The janka hardness scale lists white oak at 1360 and red oak at 1290. Most of these properties can be seen with a hand lens with an 8x to 15x magnification.

When examined closer, the pores of red oak and white oak are very different. The market changes frequently with commodities like hardwood flooring, so differentiating red oak vs white oak based on cost can be difficult. White oak, both kinds of wood take stain easily. It’s more prone to shrink than white oak.

Red oak and white oak are the two most common species of oak that you will find when it comes to flooring. Both red and white oak are fairly dense varieties of wood, however, white oak is a little more durable with a janka scale rating of about 1360 while red oak sits at about a 1290. Because of this, white oak is denser. Red oak flooring is overall lighter in color than white oak, with a pinkish hue that oxidizes to a gold/tan color.

On the janka hardness scale, white oak flooring scores a 1360 and red oak flooring a 1290. So, i know i said there was more to red vs white than just color, but color is still an important aspect. White oak flooring ranges in shades and. Red oak, available at most home centers.

Select grade vs no 1 vs. While it may seem like an easy decision in choosing the harder density of white oak, the difference is slight, so red oak may still be a better option for you if the visual is more appealing. White oak has been used for centuries in the building of boats. White oak is also very dense, which makes it more suitable for outdoor furniture and boat building.

White oak is a bit harder and more durable. The grains of white are finer and not as pronounced as red oak. White oak is actually a mix of browns and tans, making it darker than red oak. Red oak is porous and has open grains.

This flooring company has some good pictures of both red and white oak with an oil based finsih: Oak flooring colors, stains and finishes. Red or white, they both make a beautiful solid wood flooring. White oak flooring is slightly harder than red oak.

Stain and wood sealer tend to beautifully enhance the appearance of white oak. The grains in white oak are longer, more straight and tightly packed, with fewer swirly patterns; The coloring in white oak is varied. The overwhelming majority of the population cannot tell the difference between white oak & red oak, especially when stained.

A lot better news is the fact that white oak is a heavy harder wood, it bends the strength and it stands stiffness. Red oak has a shorter, wider grain formation that often forms wavy patterns. Red oak is harder than white oak. The grains of red oak are more prominent than white oak.

In essence, red oak flooring has a pinkish tone and a more patterned grain, whilst white oak flooring has a yellowish tone and a less busy aspect to its grain. Red oak is better as it is a harder oak as well as the finish is more uniformed. The name white oak might make you think that this flooring is lighter in color, but in fact the opposite is true. White oak flooring is also more stable.

The usual purposes for red oak are often quite different than those for white oak. This may be attributed to different prices of respective flooring. However, because red oak has a more pronounced grain pattern, it tends to hide scratches and dents better than white oak. White oak is better with gray and lighter stains.

One of the other larger differences between red oak and white oak flooring is the graining. Being impermeable against moisture it is many times used in ship makings and barrels as well. White oak is a slightly harder wood than red oak. White oak is bit harder then red oak on the janka hardness scale (white oak is 1360 vs red oak is 1290).