Q:

I recently bought some kiln-dried red oak, but when I jointed and planed it, the underlying wood was gray rather than red. What would cause this, and will it ever turn red?

Steve Pate, Madison , WI

A:

Your red oak, I believe, isn’t red oak at all, but white oak. The color you see after jointing and planing is the true color of the wood. Any oak that has a gray cast to it is white oak.
 
It’s easy to get confused about red and white oak. Neither is a specific species of tree, but a name that applies to a group of species. There are about nine species in the white-oak group, and eleven in the red-oak group.

Within each group, the species cannot be accurately distinguished from one another, which is why they are grouped together. So, you will find variation within each group. While some red oaks are a deep red, others have an orange hue. But they all have a warmer tone than the cooler browns and grays of white oak.

Fine Woodworking Recommended Products

DeWalt 735X Planer

At high speed, the planer works fast and leaves a smooth surface. But the slower, finish speed produces an almost glass-smooth surface. Knife changes are easy.

Buy at Amazon

Ridgid R4331 Planer

Priced nearly $300 less than the DeWalt 735X, the Ridgid R4331 is an excellent value. Its three-knife cutterhead left wonderfully clean surfaces on plainsawn white oak and white pine. It did not perform nearly as well on curly maple as the 735X.

Buy at Amazon

AnchorSeal Log and Lumber End-Grain Sealer

Good for both sealing the end grain of freshly cut logs and boards, this wax prevents end-grain checking and saves material

Buy at Amazon