Oak is the king of reclaimed lumber — it's the species we see most often, and for good reason. Iowa's barns and farmsteads were built predominantly with locally milled oak. But not all oak is the same, and the differences between white and red oak matter for your project.
White oak (Quercus alba) has a tighter, more uniform grain than red oak. Its pores are sealed with tyloses — natural cellular growths that make white oak virtually waterproof. This is why it was the wood of choice for whiskey barrels, ship building, and any application with moisture exposure.
Red oak (Quercus rubra) has more open pores and a slightly coarser grain. It's not water-resistant and will absorb stains and finishes more readily than white oak. The color tends more toward pink-red, while white oak leans toward golden-brown.
For reclaimed applications, these differences matter. If you're building a tabletop, countertop, or anything that might see water spills, white oak is the better choice. For accent walls, picture frames, and purely decorative applications, either species works beautifully.
Hardness is similar: white oak comes in at 1,360 Janka vs. 1,290 for red oak. Both are plenty hard for flooring, furniture, and structural applications. The slight edge goes to white oak for high-traffic floors.
Price-wise, reclaimed white oak typically commands a 10-20% premium over red oak, reflecting its greater versatility and slightly better structural properties. Both species develop beautiful patina with age, though the character is different — white oak tends toward a warm honey, while red oak deepens to a rich amber-red.
We carry both species in a range of dimensions and grades. If you're not sure which is right for your project, we're happy to send samples of each so you can compare them side by side.