Determining Red Oak vs. White Oak

[John Thompson]

Both of those are white oak. The board on top came from closer to the heart than the board on the bottom and the reason it is a shade lighter. I have worked exclusively with white and some red for the last 4 years and keep around 200 bd. feet of QSWO and around 100 bd of red on hand. I buy more than I need so I can closer match the darker and lighter hues from various portions of the tree together.

Enjoy...

[george wilson]

Blowing through the oak is also 100% positive test,and no buying of chemicals needed.

[Andrew Long]

I'm going to try this technique tonight. I have plenty of Sodium Nitrite in the Lab where I work.

I've heard every so-called "trick" from woodworkers on distinguishing the two woods and would love a real scientific approach for once. I've found the appearance and grain structure of woods vary considerably from regions and especially growing conditions, so I can't rely on looks.

[Chip Lindley]

Differences of white and red oak are pretty well covered here! Enough to definately distinguish between the two.

Coloration can be vastly different in both species. The soil the tree grew in, and whether the board is cut from near the pith or near the sapwood, makes a big difference.

Aside from the closed pores of WO which are easily seen on a freshly planed board, the scent of the two woods is a dead give away! When sawn or planed, WO has a pleasing scent not unlike something baking in the oven. On the other hand, RO has a sour, acrid scent which can be overpowering.

[george wilson]

Open grain structure in red oak isn't scientific?

[Barry Rhoads]

White oak can be as pink as red oak, especially if you have a white oak post oak cross, which is very common. The way to tell the difference is to look at the end grain. White oak has tyloses in what are called the parenchyma cells. Red oak does not have this material. This is the reason that white oak makes good barrels. With red oak the liquid will flow right through. The tyloses looks like wax paper crumpled up in the parenchyma cell. You may have to have a magnifying glass depending on how good your eyes are.