Red Oak vs White Ash
Red Oak (Quercus rubra) and White Ash (Fraxinus americana) are two woods people often weigh against each other. White Ash is the harder of the two at 1320 lbf on the Janka scale, versus 1220 lbf for Red Oak, which affects how each handles wear, tools, and denting.
| Property | Red Oak Quercus rubra | White Ash Fraxinus americana |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Hardwood | Hardwood |
| Cost | $$ · Moderate | $$ · Moderate |
| Hardness | 1220 lbf | 1320 lbf |
| Workability | Good | Good |
| Seasonal movement | Medium | Medium |
| Outdoor-friendly | No | No |
| Origin | Domestic (North America) | Domestic (North America) |
| Commonly built | Shaker-style cabinets, Hardwood flooring, Dining tables, Bookcases, Interior trim | Baseball bats, Hammer & axe handles, Hockey sticks, Steam-bent chair backs, Canoe paddles |
| Overview | The workhorse American hardwood, strong, affordable, everywhere. Coarse open grain takes stain readily but reads busy. | Strong, shock-resistant, and springy, the baseball-bat wood. Looks like oak but lighter in tone. Threatened by the emerald ash borer. |
Finishing
Red Oak
Takes stain readily and evenly, one of the most forgiving woods to color. The very open, porous grain shows through most finishes, so fill the grain with a paste wood filler first if you want a glass-smooth surface. Its high tannin content can react with water-based finishes and iron (steel wool, some fasteners) to cause dark spots, so favor oil-based finishes or seal first. Not suited to outdoor use even when finished; the open pores wick water.
White Ash
Open, ring-porous grain much like oak; takes stain evenly and benefits from grain filler for a smooth film finish. Pale color takes both light natural finishes and darker stains well. No blotching concerns. A good candidate for a filled-and-lacquered smooth finish or an open-grain oiled look.
Want to weigh these against a third wood, or compare different species? Use the interactive comparison tool.