WOOD SPECIES · Hardwood
White oak: density, weight and properties
Quercus alba
White oak (Quercus alba) averages 761.6 kg/m³ at 12% moisture content, according to the USDA Wood Handbook. The figures below are averages for clear, mature wood; individual boards vary with origin, growth and moisture.
Key figures
- Density at 12% moisture
- 761.6 kg/m³Specific gravity 0.68 (oven-dry mass, volume at 12%) × 1.12 × 1,000 kg/m³, Wood Handbook Eq. 4-14
- Basic specific gravity (oven-dry mass, green volume)
- 0.60
- Janka side hardness at 12%
- 6,000 N (≈ 1,349 lbf)
- Bending strength (modulus of rupture)
- 105 MPa
- Stiffness (modulus of elasticity)
- 12,300 MPa
- Compression parallel to grain
- 51.3 MPa
- Tangential shrinkage, green to oven-dry
- 10.5%
- Radial shrinkage, green to oven-dry
- 5.6%
- Volumetric shrinkage, green to oven-dry
- 16.3%
- Fibre saturation point
- 30%Not measured: Wood Handbook default
Weight at 12% moisture content
Volume × 761.6 kg/m³, the same calculation as the weight calculator. Green or wet wood weighs considerably more.
| Piece | Size | Weight |
|---|---|---|
| 1 cubic metre | 1,000 × 1,000 × 1,000 mm | 761.6 kg |
| 1 board foot | 12 × 12 × 1 in | 1.8 kg |
| 1×4 board, 8 ft | 3/4 × 3 1/2 in actual × 8 ft | 3.15 kg |
| 1×6 board, 8 ft | 3/4 × 5 1/2 in actual × 8 ft | 4.94 kg |
| 2×4 board, 8 ft | 1 1/2 × 3 1/2 in actual × 8 ft | 6.29 kg |
| 2×6 board, 10 ft | 1 1/2 × 5 1/2 in actual × 10 ft | 12.4 kg |
Movement across the width
How much a board 11 1/4 in (286 mm) wide changes when its moisture content moves by a few percentage points. The estimate uses the total shrinkage above and a linear relation below the fibre saturation point of 30% (Wood Handbook Eq. 4-9). Flat-sawn boards move with tangential shrinkage, quartersawn boards with radial shrinkage.
| Moisture change | Flat-sawn | Quartersawn |
|---|---|---|
| 3 percentage points | 3 mm (0.118 in) | 1.6 mm (0.063 in) |
| 6 percentage points | 6 mm (0.236 in) | 3.2 mm (0.126 in) |
Wood movement across the grain · Moisture content and acclimatising wood
Natural durability
The Wood Handbook groups the heartwood as resistant to decay (Table 14-1). Resistant heartwood generally gives satisfactory service above ground where decay can occur; ground contact calls for very resistant or treated wood.
Working and finishing
Heartwood pores are usually plugged with tyloses, which keeps liquids out and makes white oak suitable for tight barrels; it is somewhat heavier than red oak. High-quality white oak is sought for cooperage, boat planking and bent parts, furniture, flooring and millwork (Wood Handbook, chapter 2).
The Wood Handbook names oak, ash, hickory and walnut among the hardwoods with large vessels: for a smooth film finish the pores may need a filler, followed by light sanding.
Typical uses
- Furniture
- Flooring
- Cooperage (barrels)
- Boatbuilding
- Interior joinery and millwork
- Sliced veneer
Calculate with this material
Species with similar density
- European oak 740 kg/m³
- Garapa 790 kg/m³
- European beech 710 kg/m³
Sources & references
- USDA FPL · Wood Handbook (2021), ch. 5: Mechanical properties of wood
- USDA FPL · Wood Handbook (2021), ch. 4: Moisture relations and physical properties of wood
- USDA FPL · Wood Handbook (2021), ch. 14: Biodeterioration of wood
- USDA FPL · Wood Handbook (2021), ch. 2: Characteristics and availability of commercially important woods
- USDA FPL · Wood Handbook (2021), ch. 16: Finishing of wood
Uses and working notes summarise the cited source. Check the moisture content, grade and origin of the wood you actually buy.