At One Place

Red oak

Density of red oak
700 kg/m³ (630–750)
0.70 g/cm³ · 43.7 lb/ft³

The difference between red and white oak is not colour but plumbing: red oak's pores are open all the way along the grain, so a length of it will blow bubbles if you dip one end in water and blow the other. That means it soaks up water, cannot be used outdoors or for tight cooperage, and finishes with a coarse open grain. It is cheaper and more widely stocked than white oak in North America, which is why it dominates flooring.

Properties

Density
700 kg/m³ (630–750) — 0.70 g/cm³
Young's modulus
12.5 GPa
Floats in water
Yes
Magnetic
No

What it is used for

  • Interior flooring
  • Kitchen cabinets and interior joinery
  • Furniture frames
  • Interior doors and trim

How it compares

Water is 1,000 kg/m³. Anything with a shorter bar than water floats in it.

air 1.2 kg/m³
expanded polystyrene foam 20 kg/m³
rigid polyurethane foam 40 kg/m³
red oak 700 kg/m³
Water — the float line 1,000 kg/m³
tungsten 19,250 kg/m³
gold 19,300 kg/m³
platinum 21,450 kg/m³
Water is 1,000 kg/m³. Anything below that floats.
Material Density Relative to water
rigid polyurethane foam 40 kg/m³ 0.04×
expanded polystyrene foam 20 kg/m³ 0.02×
air 1.2 kg/m³ 0.00×
red oak ← 700 kg/m³ 0.70×
platinum 21,450 kg/m³ 21.45×
gold 19,300 kg/m³ 19.30×
tungsten 19,250 kg/m³ 19.25×

Does it rust?

Red oak contains no iron, so it cannot rust. Whether it degrades depends on the material, not on oxidation.

Is it magnetic?

Red oak is not a metal and has no ferromagnetic response.

Common questions

What is the density of red oak?
700 kg/m³ (630–750), or 0.70 g/cm³.
Does red oak float?
Yes. At 700 kg/m³ it is less dense than water's 1,000.
Is red oak magnetic?
Red oak is not a metal and has no ferromagnetic response.

Related pages

Sources

  1. Typical range compiled from manufacturer specifications — At One Place

How these figures are compiled and checked