Want To Know More About Ohio Hardwoods - Oak and a Few Others

Too often when people think of Oak they think of the “Golden Oak” ubiquitous furniture popular at the turn on the 20th century. Actually, Oak was considered a secondary wood until furniture makers were forced to turn to it when all the American Walnut, Cherry, and other “fine” woods had been harvested. The most common types used in woodworking are the Red and White Oak. A Red Oak piece is shown in the center of the picture, with White Oak to it’s right and Ash on it’s left. The piece on the bottom is quarter sawn White Oak with a Provincial Stain, showing the characteristic “flecks” seen with quarter sawing. The hardness of the two Oaks is similar with White Oak being slightly harder (Janka 1350 vs. 1220 for Red Oak). New White Oak can sometimes have an olive cast and usually needs some additional staining to give it a more appealing look. The piece shown is a reclaimed piece with a natural stain. White Oak is generally considered more durable while Red Oak often has a more attractive color. Red Oak has a wider, more open grain than White. Related to the Oaks are woods like Ash (shown above), and Hickory.