Wood Wars, Week XIII: Red Oak vs. Red Cedar

Welcome back, hardwood fans! This week’s installment of Wood Wars is sticking with the color theme but switching out pale yellows for vibrant reds. That’s right – it’s Red Oak vs. Western Red Cedar! Which of these rosy competitors will come out victorious? Stick around and find out!

Red Oak

Red Oak Flooring

 

Hardness: 1,290 pounds
Modulus of Rupture: 14,300 psi
Modulus of Elasticity: 1,850 1000 psi
Density: 780 KG/m3
Tangential Shrinkage: 8.6%
Radial Shrinkage: 4.0%

Western Red Cedar

Western Red Cedar Flooring

Hardness: 350 pounds
Modulus of Rupture: 7,500 psi
Modulus of Elasticity: 1,110 1000 psi
Density: 260 KG/m3
Tangential Shrinkage: 5.0%
Radial Shrinkage: 2.4%

Strength and Durability
It is rare to see a match so unevenly balanced, but here it is. Red Oak laid the proverbial smack down in this category, beating Red Cedar out by nearly 1,000 pounds! Red Oak flooring also hands it to Red Cedar in density, coming in at over 500 KG/m3 more than its opponent. Ouch!

Movement in Service
Well, well, well, look who came crawling back! Western Red Cedar wasn’t going to just fly the white flag quite yet. Both the modulus of rupture and elasticity are way lower than Red Oak, and the differential is smaller, too. Looks like Cedar isn’t going down without a fight!

Looks
Both Red Cedar flooring and Red Oak flooring feature warm, cozy tones and soft browns and yellows. The most noticeable difference between the two is their grain patterns. Cedar has a tight, fine grain that is sometimes too fine for its own good. Red Oak, on the other hand, has a consistent yet flowing grain pattern that is slightly more distinctive and eye-catching. On grain alone, we’re going with Red Oak for this round.

Conclusion
Whew – that was a close one! Looks like Red Oak squeaked out a narrow victory this time, but keep in mind that both oak flooring and cedar flooring are great options for interior projects. See you all next week, fans!

Wood Wars, Week XII: White Oak vs. Maple

Welcome back to Wood Wars, folks! With the sun on it’s way out for the season, we’ve been feeling a bit pallid lately, so we chose some appropriately pale competitors for this week’s match. That’s right – it’s White Oak and Maple! Let’s get this pasty party started!

White Oak Flooring

White Oak

Hardness: 1,360 pounds
Modulus of Rupture: 15,200 psi
Modulus of Expansion: 1,780 1000 psi
Density: 900 KG/m3
Tangential Shrinkage: 7.2%
Radial Shrinkage: 4.2%

Maple Flooring

Maple

Hardness: 1,450 pounds
Modulus of Rupture: 10,700 psi
Modulus of Expansion: 1,450 1000 psi
Density: 755 KG/m3
Tangential Shrinkage: 9.9%
Radial Shrinkage: 4.8%

Strength and Durability
At first glance, this round looks pretty close. Maple has the advantage over White Oak in Janka hardness, but oak flooring has a much higher modulus of rupture and a slightly higher modulus of expansion. If Maple’s hardness was, say, twice as high as White Oak’s, maybe it would win the round. That’s not the case, though, and this round goes to White Oak.

Movement in Service
White Oak takes this round as well. The tangential and radial shrinkage of oak flooring are both lower than Maple, and the differential between the two is also much lower. Sorry, Maple, but you’re 0 for 2.

Looks
Since we’re intentionally pairing up pale woods this week, this category is going to be close. White Oak features light, full tones that are versatile enough to match most any room décor. Maple is similar in appearance, but tends to have a much brighter, crisper look to it. White Oak’s grain pattern is tight and consistent, while Maple’s is open and more fluid. Because both hardwoods are versatile and attractive, we’re calling this round a tie.

Conclusion
Looks like White Oak flooring comes out on top this match. Congrats! Tune in next week when we’ll look at a couple of dark, daring exotic hardwood flooring choices.

What Oak ISN’T Good For

We’ve raved about oak flooring a lot on this site, and with good reason. It is a sturdy, beautiful hardwood with a consistent grain pattern and subtle, contrasting tones. But there are definitely some construction and design projects for which oak isn’t the best material to use. Here are a few of such projects:

Oak flooring is a much better use for the wood than oak decking.

Decking
While oak is sturdy enough to withstand years of foot traffic, it’s not the best choice for outdoor projects such as decking. Most species of oak have a density of about 800 KG/m3, which is great for indoor uses but makes the wood vulnerable to rot caused by rain, snow, and other elements. When picking wood for outdoor use, go with a denser, harder variety like Ipe.

Patios
The problem with using oak as a building material for patios is similar to using it for decking – the density. Exposing oak to the elements can create problems over time, even if the patio is covered. The temperature changes can also cause oak to warp and buckle more than if it was used in a temperature-controlled environment, like indoors.

Fences
Again, using oak for outdoor purposes is a risky venture. While you don’t get the double wear-and-tear of combining nasty weather with foot traffic, you do have to deal with wind and yard debris (leaves, tree branchs, etc). You can protect the wood with a high-quality waterproof sealant, but you’ll need to reapply every few years and the hassle of maintenance may not be worth it.

Luckily, there are a number of GREAT uses for oak. The best, of course, is oak flooring. Both white oak flooring and red oak flooring have a multifaceted, understated beauty that complements any design scheme you may have in mind. And kept in a dry, temperature-controlled environment, oak flooring is very resistant to decay and buckling. In a nutshell: if you want to use oak, make sure you keep it in the house.