{"id":21492,"date":"2023-05-04T10:30:00","date_gmt":"2023-05-04T14:30:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.dutchcrafters.com\/blog\/?p=21492"},"modified":"2025-07-07T10:02:23","modified_gmt":"2025-07-07T14:02:23","slug":"10-questions-about-oak-wood-furniture","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.dutchcrafters.com\/blog\/10-questions-about-oak-wood-furniture\/","title":{"rendered":"Top 10 FAQs About Oak Wood Furniture"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Oak wood<\/a> 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\u2019re breaking down the top ten questions we get about America\u2019s most popular wood choice for furniture.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n

What Types of Oak Wood and Trees Are Used to Build Furniture?<\/h3>
While there are over 500 varieties of oak trees around the globe, red and white oak are the primary two used to build solid oak furniture.<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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 <\/a>use oak that is regionally sourced. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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<\/a> furniture is made with white oak wood.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Also Read: Red Oak vs. White Oak: What’s the Difference?<\/a><\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

What Color is Oak Wood?<\/h3>
Oak wood is primarily a light-colored wood. Red oak actually has lighter shades than white oak wood.<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What is Oak Wood’s Grain Pattern Like?<\/h3>
The oak wood grain pattern is one of the most outspoken, free-flowing grain patterns you can find. Oak makes no apologies for its prominent grain pattern, and it\u2019s a factor that makes oak wood easier to identify. On a piece of oak wood furniture, you\u2019ll find long curving arches and loops that are compressed into thin, parallel lines in some areas. The grain is deep and rugged. Oak wood will have some knots that add to its character as well as the texture of the wood.<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

How Strong is Oak Wood Compared to Other Woods?<\/h3>
White oak wood has a Janka rating of 1360, while red oak scores 1290. Oak is harder than most woods used to make furniture. In comparison, cherry wood has a Janka rating of 950, and walnut wood<\/a> has 1010. Oak wood is a sturdy, durable choice for furniture. Its strength and hardness make it a fine candidate for furniture used daily.<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Oak wood for furniture scores big when it comes to strength. A reliable measure of a wood type\u2019s strength is the Janka Hardness Test. This test is considered the industry standard for comparing the relative hardness of different wood species. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u2019s ability to handle wear or denting. The higher the number score, the harder the wood is.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u2019s end grain has open and porous growth rings. White oaks\u2019 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Is Stain or Paint Better For Oak Furniture?<\/h3>
Oak is one of the most stain-friendly wood types in existence. Painting oak can be good if you understand what you are getting into. It’s not ideal to paint oak due to the strong wood grain that is conspicuous under the coat. Make sure you see examples before painting. Painting oak can be the perfect solution in certain scenarios.<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Also Read: 5 Best Oak Stains<\/a><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Oak furniture displays stains<\/a> 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\u2019s not the paint that\u2019s not friendly, but oak\u2019s dynamic wood grain. Oak\u2019s course texture and prominent grain will continue to be noticeable under the paint.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Is Oak Good For Furniture?<\/h3>
Oak wood<\/a> is the most popular wood type in Amish furniture for a reason. It endures heavy use, making it great for cabinets and flooring. It is even popular for use in boats since it offers some resistance to rot and decay. You may find oak used for trim inside homes too.<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Is Oak Wood Expensive?<\/h3>
Oak is one of the two least expensive woods used for furniture, adding to its appeal. White oak costs a bit more than red oak, offering added resistance to rot and decay and a little more hardness and stability than red oak wood.<\/div><\/div>

What is the Difference Between Regular Oak Wood and Quarter-Sawn White Oak?<\/h3>
\u201cRegular\u201d or \u201cplain sawn\u201d oak and quarter-sawn<\/a> oak<\/a> are both oak woods. The difference that exists between them is how they are cut and the look of the wood grain pattern.<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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.<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"Close<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

A close up of the quarter-sawn marks.
Photo Credit: www.wwgoa.com<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Quarter-sawn oak wood<\/a> 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\u2019s reflected in the unique look produced. The quarter sawing method creates a straighter grain pattern for oak that\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How Does Oak Wood Compare to Cherry Wood?<\/h3>
Oak wood and cherry wood<\/a> both make fine candidates for solid wood furniture. They are both hardwoods, but cherry is known to be a softer hardwood. While you want to take exceptional care of all solid wood furniture, cherry has more of a \u201chandle with care\u201d nature than oak. Oak wood comes out ahead with a higher Janka rating of 1360 versus Cherry\u2019s 950.

When it comes to wood grain patterns, oak and cherry are polar opposites. Oak\u2019s wood grain can be all over the place and is never shy, whereas cherry wood grain is fine, straight, simple, and smooth. Cherry\u2019s wood grain has a smooth texture overall, with some occasional pith flecks (brown streaks caused by worm tracks), gum pockets, and mineral deposits present.<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cherry wood will cost more than oak. Cherry is in high demand and not as readily available as oak, which drives up the cost.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How Does Oak Wood Compare to Brown Maple?<\/h3>
Brown maple wood<\/a> has been compared to cherry wood due to its smooth wood grain and distinguished look. In terms of strength and hardness, oak comes out ahead with that Janka rate of 1390 compared to brown maple\u2019s 950, the same hardness rating as cherry wood.<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Oak\u2019s wood grain pattern is more active than brown maples. Brown maple wood has a smooth, uniform wood grain. It\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u2019re tied in that department.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Conclusion<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

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\u2019s too active and dynamic for that. Oak wood furniture is warm and inviting, strong and durable with a genuine natural beauty.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

More on Oak Furniture<\/h2>\n\n\n\n