Oak wood is strong, and natural and wears a spirited wood grain pattern. Oak wood continues to be the number one choice for solid wood furniture made in America. What makes oak wood a top pick? How does it perform and how does it compare to other hardwoods? We’re breaking down the top ten questions we get about America’s most popular wood choice for furniture.

You read that right, there are over 500 varieties of oak trees to be found around the world. North America offers the largest number of oak species, with over 60 growing in the United States. Our Amish woodworkers use oak that is regionally sourced.

Oak trees can generally be divided into two groups: red oaks and white oaks. White oaks grow anywhere from 60 to 100 feet high, and the trunk of a white oak can blossom up to four feet wide. Red oaks reach heights between 50 and 80 feet, and their trunks can expand two to three feet wide.

Red and white oak woods are popular picks for crafting solid wood furniture. Most of our Amish oak furniture is made with red oak, with some select vendors using white oak. Our quarter-sawn oak furniture is made with white oak wood.

Also Read: Red Oak vs. White Oak: What’s the Difference?

White oak heartwood (wood located toward the center of the log) is light to medium brown, with some medium and dark brown and tan shades with a little yellow mixed in. Red oak wood colors range from white to soft brown with both heartwood and sapwood (wood located in the outer rings of the log) showcasing a pinkish hue.

Oak wood for furniture scores big when it comes to strength. A reliable measure of a wood type’s strength is the Janka Hardness Test. This test is considered the industry standard for comparing the relative hardness of different wood species.

The Janka Hardness Test measures the force needed to embed a .444 inch (11.28 millimeters) tiny steel ball to half its diameter into a piece of wood. The test exposes the wood’s ability to handle wear or denting. The higher the number score, the harder the wood is.

An interesting contributing factor that makes oak such a durable wood type can be found in the end grain of oak heartwood, particularly white oak. Red oak’s end grain has open and porous growth rings. White oaks’ end grain includes growth rings and pores full of tyloses, and tyloses help contribute to making white oak even more resistant to rot and decay.

Also Read: 5 Best Oak Stains

Oak furniture displays stains nicely and can be finished in a variety of stain colors. Stained oak wood furniture makes for a beautiful look in any room. One of the reasons our Amish woodworkers like to work with oak wood is because it takes stain well.  Paint, however, is not as friendly to oak. Perhaps it’s not the paint that’s not friendly, but oak’s dynamic wood grain. Oak’s course texture and prominent grain will continue to be noticeable under the paint.

Oak wood for furniture is most commonly cut using the plain or flat-sawn method. Plain sawing means cutting the wood parallel through the log where growth rings intersect the face of the board at no bigger than a 30-degree angle. More of the log can be used with the plain sawn method and it costs less than quarter sawing the wood. Plain-sawn oak wood will show the prominent grain pattern characteristic of oak wood.

A close up of the quarter-sawn marks.
Photo Credit: www.wwgoa.com

Quarter-sawn oak wood involves rotating the oak log after each cut. The growth rings intersect the face of the board at a 90-degree angle. The log is cut in quarters, then the quarters are turned and cut again. These little turns produce an incredible result that’s reflected in the unique look produced. The quarter sawing method creates a straighter grain pattern for oak that’s not as thick as its plain-sawn pattern. Quarter sawing also adds to the stability of the wood and its resistance to warping and cupping.

Both are good woods to work with for crafting wood furniture. Cherry colors differ from oak in that they include shades from blond to reddish brown, whereas oak contains more browns and tans. Cherry wood also has the unique trait of darkening over time with exposure to light.

Cherry wood will cost more than oak. Cherry is in high demand and not as readily available as oak, which drives up the cost.

Oak’s wood grain pattern is more active than brown maples. Brown maple wood has a smooth, uniform wood grain. It’s this characteristic that contributes to brown maple wood being a fine candidate for a painted finish. Another characteristic to note about brown maple is that it can contain mineral streaks (a natural occurrence in the wood). Because of these streaks, darker stains and paints are often recommended when finishing brown maple furniture, whereas oak wood furniture shines beautifully in both light stains and dark ones.

Both oak and brown maple can be crafted into a variety of solid wood furniture styles. Oak wood and brown maple wood are the two least expensive wood selections for fine wood furniture, so they’re tied in that department.

Conclusion

Oak wood furniture is a favorite. Of all the hardwoods used to make furniture, it has the most prominent grain pattern. Oak wood cannot be described as dull or ordinary, it’s too active and dynamic for that. Oak wood furniture is warm and inviting, strong and durable with a genuine natural beauty.

More on Oak Furniture

• Watch: Choosing the Right Furniture or Wood Finish (Amish Furniture Finishes)
• Order: Wood/Finish Samples
• Read: Everything You Need to Know About Oak
• Read: Things to Know About Rustic Quartersawn White Oak
• Read: Red Oak vs. White Oak – What’s the Difference?
• Read: 5 Most Popular Oak Stains

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