Scientific Name:
Quercus alba

Other Names and Species:
American white oak is also known variously as Basket Oak, Chestnut Oak, and other names, including:
Cow Oak
Mountain Oak
Rock Oak
Swamp Oak
Tanbark Oak

Origin:
The commercial domestic species of white oak are widely distributed throughout the United States.

Appearance:
Depending on whether the wood is plainsawn, riftsawn, or quartersawn, the grain of white oak can have a plumed or flared appearance, a lighter grain pattern with low figuring, or a "flake" pattern that is referred to as "tiger rays" or "butterflies."

Properties:
White oak is slightly harder than red oak, and also more durable and has high shock resistance, and resist wear. Because of the high concentration of tannic acid in white oak, it is particularly resistant to fungi and insects.

Janka Hardness: 1360
White oak has a ranking of 1360.

Workability:
White oak has good resistance to splitting and excellent holding ability.

Principal Uses:
Oak is practically synonymous with high-quality, durable, and distinctively attractive wood floors. In addition, it is widely used in ship building, furniture and veneers, kegs and casks, truck and trailer beds, caskets, paneling, and mining timbers. Oak also makes a nice-burning fuel wood, and it yields tannin for the formulation of dyes.