We use only the highest grade in all our wood selections. We do offer both White and Red Oak but there is a lot of confusion relating to these woods. The specie White Oak is different from the specie, Red Oak, and the color of White Oak is very different from the color of our Red Oak. White oak is usually gray in color, very dense, and is mainly used to make whisky barrels and truck flooring. White Oak is not usually desired in Cabinet Doors because it is a darker gray color, it’s heavy, and it has a smell that most people don’t feel is especially pleasant. Red Oak ranges in color from deep-red at the Southern end of the growing range through a light “wheat color” in the Northern end of the growing range. Our Red Oak comes from a subsection of the Northern range. We buy this from mills in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan and Northern Wisconsin. Red Oak from this region has tight growth rings due to the cold northern climate, and a very-light wheat color due to the local soil conditions. Our Red Oak is much lighter in color than White Oak and it is considered to be the best quality Red Oak in the world. It’s the best and that’s why we use it in all our Select Oak doors and drawer fronts.
