White Oak
Quercus alba · hardwood · Eastern North America · high movement
- Janka hardness 1,360 lbfred oak ≈ 1,290 lbf
- Density ≈ 48 lb/ft³specific gravity 0.68 at 12% MC
- Shrinkage — tangential 10.5%flatsawn width, green → ovendry
- Shrinkage — radial 5.6%quartersawn width
- T/R ratio 1.9 : 1higher = more cupping in flatsawn stock
Shop notes Closed tyloses make it watertight — barrels, boats, outdoor furniture. Quartersawn white oak with its ray fleck is the Arts & Crafts signature; movement is substantial, so design for it.
Seasonal movement at a glance
Width change for white oak across a typical indoor year — 6% moisture content in the heated winter to 12% in a humid summer:
| Board width | Flatsawn | Quartersawn |
|---|---|---|
| 6″ | 1/8″ (0.135″) | 1/16″ (0.072″) |
| 12″ | 9/32″ (0.270″) | 5/32″ (0.144″) |
| 24″ | 17/32″ (0.540″) | 9/32″ (0.288″) |
| 36″ | 13/16″ (0.810″) | 7/16″ (0.432″) |
Run your own numbers
Different width, different climate swing — the calculator below is preset to white oak:
Typical swings:
White Oak questions
How much does white oak move with the seasons?
A 12″-wide flatsawn white oak board moves about 9/32″ across a typical indoor swing from 6% to 12% moisture content; quartersawn, about 5/32″. Its tangential shrinkage is 10.5% and radial 5.6% (green to ovendry) — a high-movement wood.
How hard is white oak?
White Oak rates about 1,360 lbf on the Janka scale — in red oak’s hardness neighborhood (red oak is roughly 1,290 lbf). Density runs about 48 lb/ft³ at indoor moisture levels.
Is white oak good for wide panels and tabletops?
Yes, with normal precautions: its 1.9:1 tangential-to-radial ratio is moderate. Still fasten solid tops so they can move across their width.
Similar species
Post Oak · Bur Oak · White Ash · Rock Elm · Scarlet Oak · Sapele
Shrinkage, specific gravity, and hardness from the Wood Handbook, FPL-GTR-282 (2021 edition), USDA Forest Products Laboratory (public domain). Values are species averages — individual boards vary with growth conditions and how they were dried.