Choose oak if you want a hard, light-to-mid-toned wood with a strong, open grain that stands up to daily use. Choose walnut if you want a deep brown wood with a finer, quieter grain and a smoother feel, and you are happy with a surface that is a little softer. Both are classic American furniture hardwoods. The right one depends on the room, how the piece will be used, and the colour you want to live with.
Hardness and daily wear
Hardness for wood is usually measured on the Janka scale, which records the force needed to press a small steel ball halfway into the surface. Higher numbers mean more resistance to dents.
- White oak: about 1,350 lbf.
- Red oak: about 1,290 lbf.
- Black walnut: about 1,010 lbf.
Oak is roughly a third harder than walnut. In practice that means a walnut dining table will take dents from a dropped pan or a pressed pen a little more readily. Neither wood is fragile. A sealed walnut table used daily will look lived-in over the years rather than worn out, and many people value that.
Colour, and how it changes
Oak
White oak heartwood is light to medium brown, often with a slight olive cast. Red oak, as the name suggests, leans pink to reddish. With exposure to light, oak tends to warm slightly toward amber, and the change is gradual.
Walnut
Black walnut heartwood ranges from light to dark chocolate brown, sometimes with grey, purple or reddish streaks. The sapwood is much paler, close to cream. Unlike most woods, walnut tends to grow lighter with age, and a warmer, honey tone comes through the grain. Most of the change happens in the first year, faster in direct sun.
If a piece will stand in strong light, keep objects moving on its surface for the first months, so that a lamp or a bowl does not leave a paler or darker outline.
Grain and texture
Oak has large pores and a coarse, open texture. The grain pattern is bold: arches and cathedrals on flat-sawn boards, and on quartersawn boards a flecked, ribbon-like figure from the rays that run through the wood. You can often feel the grain under your hand on an oiled or matte surface.
Walnut has a finer, more even texture and a softer pattern. The grain tends to be straight or gently wavy, with occasional curl or figure. On a large surface it reads as calm and uniform, which is why it is often chosen for tables and desks in rooms with other strong patterns.
The texture also affects finishing. Oak's open grain takes a wire-brushed texture well, because the softer bands of each growth ring wear away and leave the harder bands standing. Walnut's tighter grain gives a smoother, more even surface.
Stability
All solid wood swells and shrinks across its width as humidity changes. The question is how much. Published shrinkage figures from green to dry give a useful comparison:
- White oak: about 10.5 percent tangential and 5.6 percent radial.
- Black walnut: about 7.8 percent tangential and 5.5 percent radial.
Walnut moves less, and more evenly in its two directions, so it is somewhat less prone to cupping. Oak moves more, which good construction allows for. Neither figure is a problem in furniture built to accommodate it, but walnut is a forgiving choice for wide tops.
Moisture and the bathroom
White oak has a feature most woods lack. Its pores are largely blocked by tyloses, small growths that seal the vessels, which makes it resistant to water passing through. This is why white oak has long been used for barrels and boats. Red oak's pores stay open, so it is less suited to wet places. Walnut sits between the two.
In a sealed piece of furniture, the finish does most of the work. For a bathroom vanity or a kitchen piece, white oak is still a sound choice of timber under the finish.
Matching the wood to the room
- Bright, light rooms: oak keeps a space open and airy, and its grain gives texture to a minimal room.
- Rooms with darker floors or deep paint colours: walnut holds its own and gives a quieter, more tailored look.
- Busy dining tables and family spaces: oak's hardness is an advantage.
- Desks, bedside tables and pieces touched often: walnut's fine texture feels smooth under the hand.
- Mixing woods: one dominant wood in a room, with the other in smaller pieces, usually looks considered rather than accidental.
Questions to ask yourself
- How much daily wear will the piece take? The more knocks it faces, the more oak's hardness helps.
- How much light does the room get? Walnut lightens and oak warms over time, and both change faster in direct sun.
- What is around it? Floors, cabinetry and other wood in the room set the context. Aim for contrast or a close match; near misses tend to look unintentional.
- Do you want to feel the grain? Oak's open texture shows under the hand; walnut feels smoother and more even.
- Is it going somewhere damp? Under a good finish either will do, but white oak brings extra resistance of its own.
How finishes work at CARVERHAUS
On our product pages you choose from four finishes: Oak, Walnut, Brown and Black, all at one price. Pick the one whose colour suits your room, and pair it with a Smooth or Natural rough surface. If the timber species itself matters to you, for a bathroom or to match furniture you already own, ask us before you order and we will tell you what the piece is built from.
Colour on a screen is never exact. We can send you photos and video of the real finish samples, filmed in daylight, so you can judge the tones before you choose.
To see the four finishes on real pieces, browse our dining tables or the living room collection. To see the finish samples or ask about wood, get in touch; the consultation is free.