Birch vs oak
Yellow birch sits between the two oaks on hardness and weight. Flatsawn, white oak moves the most; quartersawn, birch does.
- White oak is about 8% harder than yellow birch.
- White oak is about 10% heavier than yellow birch.
- White oak has about 11% more movement across a flatsawn board than yellow birch.
- Northern red oak is about 2% harder than yellow birch.
- Yellow birch and northern red oak are within 2% of each other.
- Yellow birch has about 11% more movement across a flatsawn board than northern red oak.
Each column is the species its page leads with: yellow birch for birch, northern red oak for red oak.
Side by side
| Property | Birch | White oak | Red oak |
|---|---|---|---|
| Janka hardness, 12% MC | 1,260 lbf | 1,360 lbf | 1,290 lbf |
| Weight, 12% MC | 43.4 lb/ft³ (694 kg/m³) | 47.5 lb/ft³ (762 kg/m³) | 44.1 lb/ft³ (706 kg/m³) |
| Specific gravity, 12% MC | 0.62 | 0.68 | 0.63 |
| Tangential shrinkage | 9.5% | 10.5% | 8.6% |
| Radial shrinkage | 7.3% | 5.6% | 4.0% |
| 12 in flatsawn board, 6% → 12% MC | 0.243 in | 0.271 in | 0.219 in |
| 12 in quartersawn board, 6% → 12% MC | 0.184 in | 0.14 in | 0.099 in |
| Bending strength (MOR), 12% MC | 16,600 psi | 15,200 psi | 14,300 psi |
| Stiffness (MOE), 12% MC | 2.01 million psi | 1.78 million psi | 1.82 million psi |
| Crushing strength, 12% MC | 8,170 psi | 7,440 psi | 6,760 psi |
One source: USDA Forest Products Laboratory, the authority for species properties it measured
Wood Handbook Tables 5-3b, 4-3 and 13-5; weight and movement worked with its Eqs. 4-14 and 13-3. A dash means the Handbook prints no value.
What sets them apart
- Quartersawn movement
- Yellow birch’s radial coefficient in Table 13-5 is 0.00256 per 1% moisture change, against 0.00194 for white oak and 0.00137 for northern red oak, so quartersawn birch moves the most of the three. (Wood Handbook, p. 13-17)
- Grain
- Birch is fine and uniform in texture. Oak shows its pores and broad rays on quartersawn faces. (Wood Handbook, p. 2-5 and 2-9)
- Uses
- Birch goes into furniture, interior woodwork, doors and veneer plywood for cabinets. White oak goes into barrels, boats, furniture and flooring; red oak into flooring, furniture and millwork. (Wood Handbook, p. 2-5 and 2-9)
For any other pair, open each species page from the wood hub; every page uses the same layout and the same sources.