# Wood identification - reclaimed lumber



## BPS238 (Feb 22, 2012)

Hello all…first time poster and amateur woodworker here. I picked up 4 of these boards the other day 8/4×10" x 12'. They were floor joists from home built in 1900. Can anyone help me confirm that these are oak boards? The figuring threw me off but need to be sure. Thanks!


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## Tomj (Nov 18, 2011)

I would definitely say Oak, Red Oak because the rays are so pronounced. There are a bunch of different kinds of Oak though. That's my two cents.


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## Tomj (Nov 18, 2011)

Oh and I'm new here myself but welcome to Lumberjocks.


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## Dal300 (Aug 4, 2011)

red oak


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## millzit (Feb 5, 2012)

looks like american chestnut to me. check out the case i made from chestnut….
http://lumberjocks.com/projects/61505

location has a lot to do with it also. chestnut grew in the Appalachian mtns so if the wood came from out west, i doubt it is chestnut….....


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## joeybealis (Jul 16, 2011)

I would also have to say oak. The big question now is what variety.


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## donwilwol (May 16, 2011)

I'd say oak. chestnut has a different grain structure. Its more open. (you can see it in milzits display case) Nice dispay case by the way.

You also said you picked up 8/4×10. I assume you already resawed it?


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## Tony_S (Dec 16, 2009)

Quarter cut White Oak, no question here. Worked with it for years. As a matter of fact….just finished milling 1100 board feet yesterday.


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## BPS238 (Feb 22, 2012)

Thanks for the info everyone.

Don W: I still have the whole boards…I just cut off a tapered end piece and ran it through the thickness planer.


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## donwilwol (May 16, 2011)

There may be a few pictures where you can see a very similar grain on this project its all red oak.

I like oak and use it a lot. You should be able to make a great project with it.


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## BPS238 (Feb 22, 2012)

Nice project Don and beautiful Disston. I'm going to pick up 4 more boards tonight and start brainstorming on what to build…hopefully turn my first profit on a woodworking project.


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## hhhopks (Nov 22, 2011)

OAK for sure.
Probably white oak.
I don't think it is red.
White seems to be heavier and denser than Red. All the "Red" at the lumber store has a more reddish, pink, tint to it.

It looks identical to my workbench's leg that I am building. I got mine from heavy construction site to keep heavy equipment (in terms on xx tons) off the ground.


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## donwilwol (May 16, 2011)

I'll argue it's oak, but the difference between white and red can be pretty subtle and I have a hard time telling the difference by photo. I'd agree the grain leans toward white but the color doesn't have the grayish tint I usually see in white. That could very well be the picture though.


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## cmaxnavy (Dec 23, 2007)

Qtr sawn white oak


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## dhazelton (Feb 11, 2012)

I don't know if you like Arts & Crafts or Mission/Stickley style furniture, but I would reserve that wood for that sort of thing myself. That wood is even from the right time period of when that furniture was being made. Good luck!


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## chrisstef (Mar 3, 2010)

id say .. like other … quarter sawn white oak. If you can see little holes in the end grain id lean towards red oak if not white oak. I just had the guys at work save me some roof joists off an early 1900's building we were doing some demo on … i hope that it looks half as good as the stuff you got.

ohh and welcome to the gang!


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## Andy123 (Aug 17, 2011)

Oak, quarter sawn. Nice find.


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## WDHLT15 (Aug 15, 2011)

White oak. The pores on the end grain are totally occluded with tyloses.


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## Dal300 (Aug 4, 2011)

I agree with White Oak. I didn't look close enough the first time.


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