Red Oak Vs White Oak Flooring
White oak has a smoother and cleaner look.
Red oak vs white oak flooring. The name white oak might make you think that this flooring is lighter in color but in fact the opposite is true. White oak flooring has less pronounced finer graining and warmer golden brown tones. For those that love the darker ebony it often shows even better on the white oak floors as the white oak is a bit darker more yellow whereas the red oak floors are a bit more red. White oak flooring is also more stable.
However like with all hardwood flooring for best results in terms of stability both red oak and white oak planks should be allowed to fully acclimatize to the local environment before being installed. White cabinets are very in style and by far the most popular and look amazing w dark hardwood regardless of whether it is red oak or white oak. Both red and white oak flooring are excellent choices for long term durability for most homes. As mentioned above along with being harder than red oak white oak is also more stable and denser than red oak.
Red oak has pinkish and red tones throughout. The most important difference between red oak and white oak is that their different timescales to reach maturity bring different practical features. The grains of red oak are more prominent than white oak. Because it is harder it accepts stain color more evenly than red oak flooring does.
On the janka hardness scale white oak flooring scores a 1360 and red oak flooring a 1290. The most obvious difference between the two types of oak flooring is their color. Because of this it is much more porous. Red oak has a stronger grain pattern.
Red oak grows more swiftly and is therefore a popular type of hardwood to cultivate. The graining of each is very different as well. White oak flooring has been noted as being harder than red oak with a janka hardness rating of approximately 1360. White oak is also very dense which makes it more suitable for outdoor furniture and boat building.
Some claim that the density of white oak makes it a more stable species less seasonal movement than red oak but both types of hardwood flooring will have some seasonal movement.