Determining Red Oak vs. White Oak

[Jim Foster]

Hello,

Been a while since I last posted. I am planing several hundred feet of 5/4 Riftsawn White Oak. Some of it looks just like I'd expect and some of it looks reddish, like Riftsawn Red Oak. Is their an easy way to tell?

Thanks

[John Thompson]

Never seen any white oak that looked reddish pink like red oak. When I buy QSWO the center cuts near the heart are darker but not reddish.. more of a medium brown. You might post a picture side by side. Did you ask if some red oak got mixed in the batch?

[travis howe]

2nd what has been said... Also, the white oak I've worked with has been a LOT tougher on my machines than red oak.

[Jim Foster]

I added a picture of two boards, one White, one thatlooks Red. From the camera the difference is not as noticable. Thanks for any opinion.

[Brian Hinther]

Going by grain structure, those both look like white oak to me.

[Steve Jenkins]

slice off a thin piece of endgrain, maybe 1/16-1/8 thick. If you can see through it like a pack of soda straws it may be red oak. I built a 48" diameter table top out of red oak and used watco on it. After applying the watco I put an air hose to one end of the center board and was able to make the oil come out of the face all the way to the center of the table.

[Bruce Page]

Going by grain structure, those both look like white oak to me.

They both look like white oak to me too.

[Ted Calver]

This thread has some photos.

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthre...ite+Oak+Lumber

[David Kreuzberg]

Smell it.

If it reminds you of Scotch whisky, it's white oak.

[Richard M. Wolfe]

The difference in red oak vs white oak is in the posrosity of the wood, as Steve says. White oaks form what are known as tyloses, which are cellular structures that 'plug' the pores in the wood.

[Ben West]

Like the one thread shows, tyloses are the key. See:

http://www.woodweb.com/knowledge_bas..._from_Red.html

[george wilson]

Cut off a piece. Put one end into water,and try to blow through the end grain. IF it's RED oak,air will bubble the water. Even with a piece a foot long. White oak is more durable because it has CLOSED cells that don't let water get into it when used for shingles.

[Scott T Smith]

From the pix, those both appear to be white oak. A close up of the end and face grains would help.

[michael case]

Steve is right. Another way is to rip a 1/2 x 1/2 x3" and try blowing through it into a glass of water. If its red oak air will pass through it like a straw and bubbles will come out the end in the water glass. It also a nice parlor trick.

[Rick Lizek]

A 10% solution of sodium nitrite in water will turn black when applied to white oak and do nothing with red oak. Foolproof and 100% accurate.
http://www.woodweb.com/knowledge_bas..._from_Red.html
Do not confuse it with sodium nitrate. Available at chemical supply sources and ask for lab grade, cheapest.
I get it from Pfaltz and Bauer in Ct. You will get frustrated trying to rely on other methods to seperate red and white oak and there is no guarantee like the sodium nitrite solution.