If you are looking for a new type of wood to use for various construction projects around your home, both oak and acacia make for fine options to consider. These are both hard and durable types of wood, although there are some major differences between them.
Today, we’re going to do a side-by-side comparison of these two materials to figure out which one is best for your next woodworking project.
What Is Oak?
First, we have the oak tree, and here we’re talking specifically about the red oak. This is one of the most commonly found varieties in North America and is also very popular for construction purposes. That said, there are over 160 types of oak trees. Finally, oak trees grow in the northern hemisphere, in Asia, North America, Northern Europe, and North Africa.
Keep in mind that oak is a deciduous hardwood tree, meaning it does lose its leaves in the winter. Oak is a fairly dense, heavy, and hard type of wood. It is structurally sound and very resistant to many types of physical damage, including denting and scratching.
Moreover, it does contain some natural oils and resins, which combined with its hardness and density, make it somewhat fungus and moisture-resistant. It’s not the best wood in the world on this front, although if treated properly, it may be used for outdoor purposes. However, it is not very resistant to pests.
As for appearance, oak features a very tight and straight grain, and it has a coarse and uneven texture, along with a few knots and gaps. It usually has a brownish-red color and is often used for things like cabinets, flooring, decorative pieces, furniture, and interior and exterior doors.
What Is Acacia?
We then have the acacia tree, which is native to the Pacific Rim, Africa, and Asia, although it is mostly found in Australia. There are actually very many different types of this tree out there.
One important thing to note about acacia wood is that it usually has an extremely irregular grain structure that can be curly, wavy, or straight, or even comes in the form of rings. This type of wood also tends to have a lot of gaps and knots. This is because these trees have many branches that grow out of the trunk.
Acacia can be light brown in color, although it can also be dark red and brown, kind of like mahogany. This is also an extremely hard and dense type of wood, one of the hardest types of hardwood. Because acacia is so dense and hard, it also tends to have great resistance to pests, moisture, decay, fungus, and more.
This is a very expensive type of wood, which is due to its great durability and moisture resistance. However, because it is so expensive, it is usually reserved for high-end applications, such as luxury doors and windows, indoor and outdoor furniture, cabinets, and indoor decorative pieces.
Oak vs. Acacia: What Are the Differences
Now that we know what both oak and acacia are, let’s figure out what makes these two types of wood different from each other.
Hardness
In terms of hardness, oak comes in at 1,220 lbf on the Janka hardness scale. On the other hand, acacia comes in at over 2,200 lbf. As you can see, acacia is almost twice as hard as oak, therefore meaning that it is far more resilient to various forms of physical damage, such as denting and scratching. For this reason, it makes for a popular choice for high-end indoor furniture that needs to last for a long time.
Density
Oak is a fairly dense and heavy type of wood, as it weighs 43 lbs per cubic foot. Acacia, on the other hand, comes in at around 49 lbs per cubic foot, making it heavier than oak. This does lend to its greater durability, although it is also harder to work with due to its heavier weight.
Pest and Moisture Resistance
One thing that needs to be said about oak is that it’s not the best choice for outdoor purposes. Yes, it is somewhat moisture-resistant, especially when properly sealed and treated. However, it is certainly not very pest-resistant.
On the other hand, acacia wood is very pest-resistant and moisture-resistant, therefore making for an ideal choice for outdoor use. That said, most people consider it too expensive to be left outdoors.
Overall Strength
In terms of compressive strength, modulus of rupture, and modulus of elasticity, acacia wood is generally much stronger than oak. If you need something that is very structurally sound, acacia is the better choice. However, you usually would not use this wood for large-scale building purposes, as it’s just very expensive.
Workability
Due to its heavy weight and extreme hardness, acacia wood is much harder to work with than oak.
Appearance – Color and Grain
First, we have the red oak, which is reddish-brown in color and usually has a fairly straight and even grain, along with a somewhat coarse texture. On the other hand, acacia tends to be a little darker brown in color and has a very unpredictable grain pattern and texture. Although acacia wood can look very nice, it really depends on the exact specimen.
Cost
For red oak, you can expect to spend up to around $25 per board foot, whereas acacia wood can cost you up to twice as much.
When to Use Oak?
If you need a suitable type of wood for indoor purposes, such as for furniture, cabinets, doors, and more, and you want something that is reddish-brown in color, then oak makes for a good option. It is also a lot more affordable than acacia wood. Keep in mind that oak is also structurally sound while remaining cost-effective.
When to Use Acacia?
If you are looking for something a little darker and unique, you are willing to pay a lot of money for it, and you want a type of wood that is extremely hard, durable, dense, and resistant to the elements, then acacia makes for a good option. Just be sure to remember that this wood is very expensive, so it’s not something that you would usually use for large-scale building purposes.
Alternatives to Oak and Acacia
It is no secret that both oak and acacia wood is fairly expensive. If you need decent types of wood for building purposes, especially for basic indoor and utilitarian uses, then two good options to consider are alder and ash.
Summary
As you can see, both oak and acacia are relatively high-end types of wood that are suitable for many different purposes.