Red or White Oak?

[Becky3504]

Can anyone tell what this flooring is? A flooring company looked at several sample pieces and told me it is red oak but some of the rays look longer. Also, it is about 40 years old so it is hard to go on color. Thank you!

 

[DarisMulkin]

I'd say red. White oak sometimes has a green cast to it. But then again just guessing.

 

[Dan]

I, too, would say red oak. Every once in a while you'll run into boards, similar to those pictured, that are difficult to make a call.

You mentioned having a few pieces? Uninstalled pieces? If so, you can look at them from the end and tell. Red oak will look like it has holes in it. Those are the vessels. White oak has vessels also, but they appear to be full of a substance called tyloses.

 

[Dan]

I'd say red. White oak sometimes has a green cast to it. But then again just guessing.

Some of the best of the best white oak will have a pinkish color to it.

 

[Becky3504]

Some of the best of the best white oak will have a pinkish color to it.

This floor is 40 years old. Some of the boards have a pinkish tone. Most of it is a sandy/light brown with pink in a few of the boards.

 

[Dan]

MANY red oak boards also have a pink cast. Color all depends not only on southern vs appalachian vs northern areas, but also on which hybrid the acorn came from, as well as which hillside the tree grew on.

If you can't look a the ends of some of the boards to determine red from white, there are test kits available.

One more, less scientific test is to place a few droplets of water on a board that does not contain and stain or finish. If it leaves a stain that looks like a coffee stain, where it looks like a spill of coffee, that would indicate white oak.

When the lumber is green, I can smell it and tell. Don't know how to tell you how that works? Just something I learned over the years.

 

[Peter Petrovsky]

It looks like red oak to me, but I can't be sure...