We, and I assume others are being asked to stain white oat with light colored stains that are predominantly white. The problem is that most of the white oak lumber we get is too brown in color and we can't make it white enough. How do you handle this or what sources do you have to consistently get light colored white oak. Seems light white oak plywood is always light colored. I am in the Midwest so maybe it's a regional thing caused by growing conditions?

2 part bleach will strip the color out of the wood.

Thanks Leo but we tried that and it didn't work for us.

I haven't used it on White Oak. But it turned Red Oak pretty white.

Wonder why?

It initially lightened the wood but it had an obvious green hue when we stained it.

Ahhhhhh..... That happened when I tried to lighten some Walnut.

You actually tried a peroxide/lye type of bleach, or just household bleach? Things to try are white dye, white toner, or a seal coat on the oak and then a toner.

I tried regular household bleach and Zinsser wood bleach with part A sodium hydroxide and part B hydrogen peroxide.

Also tried oxalic acid.

Im sure to be corrected but here goes. Speedy Way wood bleach was the best bleach known to the industry. As time went on it became Daly's 2 part wood bleach. Its rather expensive but after all the customer maybe paying for it if its for a job. It will turn Mahogany/Walnut as white as Typing paper. Use it as directed and it wont turn Green or burn the wood.

Warm the wood with a hair dryer or work in the Sun, ( if you can 8;)

Ive never heard of a White Dye. White pigments; yes, White Paint; yes but a White Dye, hmmmmmm.

Are any of you able to get light colored white oak, thereby eliminating the need to bleach it in the first place? Like I mentioned, the plywood is a nice light color. If I can get solid wood to match it would be much easier.

You are looking for the sap wood. It's nearly white.

I have, of course, had sap wood on WO. Over the years I have also ran across a fair amount of light colored WO that isn't sap but just naturally whiter in color. Of course back then we stained it a medium to dark color. Now that I really need it I can't find it.

Have you considered using ash instead of white oak?

Whenever I get into a tricky situation with staining consistencies across wood, I normally go to the lumber yard and select the boards with the color I want, as all they care about is getting the wood on the truck.