White Oak
Quercus alba · Hardwood
- Type
- Hardwood
- Origin
- Eastern North America
- Hardness
- 1360 lbf (Hard)
- Durability
- Very Durable, highly resistant to rot and insect attack due to closed cellular structure (tyloses)
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Grain Pattern
Straight to irregular grain with pronounced cathedral and flat-sawn patterns, featuring prominent ray flecks characteristic of quarter-sawn elements
Color & Appearance
Light to medium brown heartwood with grayish-brown undertones, paler sapwood, low to medium luster, and dark streaks around knots
Hardness (Janka)
1360 lbf (Hard)
Durability & Decay Resistance
Very Durable, highly resistant to rot and insect attack due to closed cellular structure (tyloses)
Value & Sustainability
- Estimated Market Value
- 4.00 to 8.00 USD per board foot for standard lumber, higher for pre-finished flooring planks
- Wood Age Estimate
- Estimated modern milled flooring installed within the last 5 to 15 years
- Sustainability Status
- Not listed on CITES appendices or IUCN Red List, widely available and sustainably harvested with FSC certification options
Common Uses
Flooring, furniture, cabinetry, boat building, exterior construction, and barrel making
Geographic Origin
Eastern North America
Workability
Generally easy to work with both hand and machine tools, though it can blunt cutting edges due to high silica content; glues, stains, and finishes well
Finish Recommendations
Polyurethane, water-based finishes, or hardening oils; staining is very common to even out color variations
Notable Features
Contains tyloses which make the wood waterproof, high tannin content causing corrosion with iron fasteners in wet conditions
