Oak Red or White?

[Ouan]

Just a quick question. I recall it is red oak I want to use for a repair, but just wanted to double check here Thanks All

 

[prockvoan]

Re: Oak Red or White?

What repair?

 

[Terry H]

Re: Oak Red or White?

I wouldn't use red oak on a boat, maybe white oak for some things. In reality I wouldn't use any oak in a marine atmosphere. Chief

 

[BillP]

Re: Oak Red or White?

White oak for boats. Red oak for furniture. Oak built boats don't hold up well in southern climes. It rots faster than soft woods. Not a problem where you are. It takes high temps for rot spores to live.

 

[Ouan]

Re: Oak Red or White?

I am just replacing some spray rails originally oak. They are not integral to the hull, just bolted on. The first ones lasted 20 years, just can't recall what they were Thanks all

 

[BillP]

Re: Oak Red or White?

Any wood will work for spray rails. Is the boat like a PennYan skiff...steam bent frames and strip planking with one long spray rail from stem to stern?

 

[Ouan]

Re: Oak Red or White?

No its a home built cruiser circa 1969

 

[Manipulator]

Re: Oak Red or White?

Someone said red oak and white oak are basically about the same. Is that true? I have a swim deck that had two teak inserts that were about 5X12 in size. Anyway they were completely rotted so I made new ones out of red oak. The guy at Home Depot said the two woods were almost identical. I also heard that the white variety was weather resistant. These pieces of wood do get wet with lake water and rain as the back of the boat hangs out the slip. I water sealed them completely with polyurethane. What do you think? That damn teak is great but tooooooooo $$$$$.

 

[ahein]

Re: Oak Red or White?

Manipulator,<br />Red Oak and White Oak are two different animals.BTW, the color of the wood (red or white) doesn't have anything to do with the species of oak. I've seen very reddish white oak and very white (blonde) red oak.<br /> <br />Red oak has large pores in it that make it ideal for furniture-making (soaks up stain and other surface finishes). Unfortunately, that's also what makes it poor for marine construction purposes (soaks up water and will rot very quickly).<br /><br />White oak, on the other hand, is much denser and has very small pores that won't soak up water easily. Not to say that it won't, all wood will absord water to some extent. If you apply a sealer such as blond shellac, then your finish coat of your choice (varnish, polyurethane, etc), you won't have a problem with white oak. <br /><br />I built an anchor pulpit three years ago out of white oak and it's just a pretty now as it was then. It's withstood three seasons of harsh New England sea's and weather. One last thought, the USS Constitution (Old Ironsides) is built from white oak planks, and it's two hundred years old!

 

[Manipulator]

Re: Oak Red or White?

Thanks for the tip. All Home Depot had was red oak and I told the guy I needed "white". That is when he said they were the same. Should have known coming from someone working at home depot. Anyway, I stained it and then used thompsons water seal with UV protection and then I applied a think coat of polyurethane on it. We'll see what happens.<br /><br />Is there a wood that can stand up to the elements on boats that is not teak. We now know white oak is faily good but is there anything else that isn't so expensive? Teak is very $$$.

 

[crab bait]

Re: Oak Red or White?

AHEIN is exactly right..<br /><br />really ,only an acid test can truly distinguish aganist the two woods..<br /><br />one thing certain,, not much wood rot faster then red oak..

 

[Terry H]

Re: Oak Red or White?

Crabby, it's easy to distinguish between red and white oak. An experienced eye can look and tell. Ouan, if you have a sample take it to someone who works with hardwoods. Chief

 

[87Aggie]

Re: Oak Red or White?

As Chief said, it's fairly easy to tell the difference between red and white oak (to me anyway - I'm a forester). White Oak's definitely the right one for marine applications - as Ahein said the USS Constitution is built with it. Barrel staves were usually made with white oak (whisky barrels, etc.) White Oak's pores so to speak are interrupted by cell walls that keep liquid from penetrating all the way through. Another good wood for marine environments is "heartwood" Bald Cypress and Live Oak.

 

[87Aggie]

Re: Oak Red or White?

Just did a little research, more common woods that are good in the "marine environment" are Douglas Fir, Western Red Cedar and Eastern Pine.

 

[Nittany]

Re: Oak Red or White?

SYP works well, too. I notice the poster is from the Midwest, however, and I don't know about it's availability.<br /><br />Here in the Carolinas; very common. It's got to be true SYP - not "whitewood" or some of the things you see at the chain home improvement places. In this area, you can obtain good quality SYP at a Lowe's or H.D.<br /><br />When I look at the endgrain of Red Oak, I can see "cells"; that is how I know what I am looking at. Anybody else notice this?