About the wood
White Oak
Quercus alba
The oak that built barrels and boats: heartwood rated very durable, olive-brown color, and the main species behind OCC's cookies. Strong, easy to work and an exceptional value among domestic hardwoods.
- Janka
- 1350 lbf
- Density
- 47.0 lb/ft³
- Origin
- Eastern United States
- IUCN Red List
- Least Concern
Working & finishing
Machines cleanly with hand and power tools and scores near the top in machinability, but flat sawn boards have mediocre dimensional stability and cup as humidity shifts. Tannin blackens on contact with wet iron, so use stainless or coated fasteners and no steel wool before water-based finishes. Oil or hardwax oil leaves the coarse texture in hand; a grain-filled film finish gives a smoother, more protected kitchen top.
Care
Wipe standing water and spills promptly; the heartwood resists rot but the finish and the wood's movement are what a spill tests. Expect noticeable seasonal width movement in a wide top and a base that allows it. Refresh oil finishes with a thin maintenance coat as the surface dulls.