Red Oak vs White Oak - Identify them easily - PLANE TALK - 13 March 2019

[@adrianojosemalacarosa6723]

Short and good explanation. Thank you.

[@benjamindebellis6664]

red oak is fairly easy to obtain here. White--not so much. I fact, I don't think I've ever seen any. Great video Walter!!! Now to hit Ebay

[@paulnovak833]

I have sawmill and will only cut white oak. Lots of here so I don't fuss with red oak

[@graceinwonderland]

Exactly what I was looking for....very helpful in identifying wood species of a 70 year old union made wood table I'm restoring

[@watermain48]

Good information Walter, thanks.

[@korrupt4]

thanks for this video - we are woodworkers but have been only commissioned to do painted maple projects (the trend) over the past 10 years or so, no oak in a lONGGGGG time! we ordered a bunch of rift sawn oak for a project that called for it. the problem is , the rift oak that came doesn't look so light tan/beige but the supplier swears its white oak, so now we cant get the stuff he sent to match the architects white oak control sample.

[@swig46]

All trees have medullary rays. The reason you can’t blow air through white oak is because the vertical cells are plugged up, that is why it is best choice for barrels.

[@skember1]

Simple and to the point. Thanks

[@VincentDP]

Sure helped me!

[@pegmine4445]

Great info for the brain cells

[@Andsol9930]

This is very helpful thank you! I bought a bunch of cabin grade white oak was told it was mixed I want to identify the red to take it out!

[@DustySplinters]

Glad it was helpful!

[@greatpyr3245]

I was hoping I'd be able to identify white oak by the medullary rays, but a little research is showing that red oak has them as well.

[@DustySplinters]

The two key factors will be color: Red oak is much more pink-orangs tone. White Oak is a bit more tan or brown. Then there are the cells themself. Red oak has wide open cells and White oak are tight closed. This is so prevalent in Red oak you can actually take a 8-12" straight split stick of it and dip it in soap water and blow bubble through it like a straw. Hope that helps, Thanks for watching !

[@bawrytr]

The water blowing test is the best and easiest way to tell, trying to do it by color or grain or whatever is a waste of time.

[@randybartlett3042]

Thanks!

[@bryanlischefski1965]

Thank you explained very well

[@bawrytr]

They don't use red oak for barrels for the same reason you can blow air through it, or suck up water through it. If the interior of the barrel has any open pores, and in a barrel, there will be really a lot of them, the wine or water or whatever will just leak out.

[@신용준-m2m]

Tyloses is the main reason why white oak does not soak up water. Not the ray.

[@KenGutierrez01]

Well I plan to use white oak to make a skateboard.

[@elsagrace3893]

Before yesterday I had no knowledge that there were different types of oak.

[@SeahorseWorkshop]

Nice work man. Direct!

[@gundersonflooringanddesign4064]

I'm trying to find a good description on how to determined from the face graining the difference between red and white oak

[@DustySplinters]

It begins with color and texture. Red Oak is more orange and White Oak a bit more of a Gray /brown. The open Pores of red oak suck up finish like a sponge where White oak does not. Not sure if these links will come through but once you place flat sawn samples side by side it will become obvious. Red Oak www.wood-database.com/wp-content/uploads/quercus-rubra.jpg White Oak www.wood-database.com/wp-content/uploads/quercus-alba-fs-1.jpg If you can get exact dimension samples, you will also see that their weight is significantly different. Red: Average Dried Weight: 43.8 lbs/ft3 (700 kg/m3) White: Average Dried Weight: 47.0 lbs/ft3 (755 kg/m3) Hope some of this helps.

[@gundersonflooringanddesign4064]

@@DustySplinters Thank you! That's very kind you went to all the trouble to compose your reply and share the links. I will definitely check into that. I'm a flooring contractor and I have a lot of trouble with finished floors telling the difference between the two. It's always been my weak spot

[@DustySplinters]

@@gundersonflooringanddesign4064 When refinishing oak floors, you will definitely tell white from red by how it sands and even if you just take some mineral spirits to it, whewn you wipe it on the Red will suck it up. Also, take time to go to a furniture or cabinet shop and buy some short sample boards to do some finishing samples. They will know White from Red. When I had to stain wood to match something else I liked to use White Oak, since it will not suck up stain like red, it is far easier to blend and match. Have fun and good luck.

[@bawrytr]

You can't reliably do it. Just do the straw or blowing into water test.

[@HardwoodFloorRefinishing101]

Good info...terrible lighting to visually understand your point!

[@DustySplinters]

Absolutely, Thanks for watching.

[@silvameaferam5441]

The lighting wasn't that great, but honestly, his description and talk was so well done that you hardly even needed the video to "get it" right the first time.

[@johnmoyer5515]

White oak is good for exterior i just made 12 casement sash for historical restoration project

[@ltandrepants]

You need some lighting

[@GypsyPaz]

Nice video, information and entertaining. Looks like your light or something is washing the whole scene with a reddish tint. And you shouldn't use your middle finger while pointing out the end grain.

[@moonwolf7135]

Your lighting is bad

[@DustySplinters]

I know, sorry... Same camera & lights as always. The camera for some reason did not balance out the lighting or whiteness. Thanks for watching, will try and not upload others with bad lighting.

[@ltandrepants]

WTF is up with your lighting? jeez