---
title: "Red oak — density, melting point and properties"
description: "Red oak has a density of 700 kg/m³ (630–750). Melting point, strength, conductivity, what it is used for, and whether it floats, rusts or is magnetic."
url: https://atoneplace.net/material/red-oak/
site: "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

- [Does red oak float?](https://atoneplace.net/does-it-float/red-oak/)
- [Pine](https://atoneplace.net/material/pine/)
- [Plywood](https://atoneplace.net/material/plywood/)
- [MDF](https://atoneplace.net/material/mdf/)
- [White oak](https://atoneplace.net/material/white-oak/)
- [Balsa](https://atoneplace.net/material/balsa/)
- [Spruce](https://atoneplace.net/material/spruce/)
- [Western red cedar](https://atoneplace.net/material/cedar/)
- [Hard maple](https://atoneplace.net/material/maple/)

## Sources

- Typical range compiled from manufacturer specifications — At One Place (/about/)