White Oak is a ring porous species with a characteristic strong grains and rays that are longer and more pronounced. The heartwood is light to medium tan; the sapwood is slightly contrasting creamy-white. White oak typically produces lumber with a “softer” grain pattern and with coarse, uneven texture. It is a hard and heavy wood with a medium-bending and crushing strength, low in stiffness, but very good in steam-bending. It has great wear-resistance. The pores in the heartwood are impervious to liquid, making White Oak suitable for cooperage.