Home / Wood guide / White Oak
Wood 7 of 21
White Oak
Strong and stable, with a naturally sealed grain.
Color over time
Approximate, in a normally lit room. Illustrated grain; real boards vary.
- Hardness
- 1,350 HardHigher number means harder to dent. About the Janka test
- Weight
- Medium-heavy
- Cost of the wood
- $$Moderate, per board foot
- Grows in
- Eastern United States
What it looks like
Light tan to medium brown with a gray-olive tone, never pink. Depending on how the log is cut, it shows straight lines, bold arches, or large shimmering flecks. Its grain is naturally sealed, which is why it’s used for whiskey barrels.
How it changes over time
Deepens to a warm honey or golden brown over the years, and the olive tone mellows. Sunlight speeds it up.
Shimmer
Boards with flecks flash brightly as you move; plain boards have little shimmer.
Smell
Fresh-cut, it smells like a whiskey barrel; finished pieces have very little scent.
With a natural wax finish
A dark wax warms it to brown, a white wax gives a pale, limed look.
With a semi-gloss lacquer finish
A lacquer gives a slight glow and makes the flecks flash.
Safe for food?
Looks great with
- American Black Walnut: today’s modern classic; both hold their color
- Wenge: tan and black, Japanese-modern
- Cherry: cherry darkens for more contrast
- Padauk: olive-tan against orange-red, unusual but good
- White Ash: similar texture; a calm, matching pair
- Macassar Ebony: black accents on tan