Red Oak Countertops Red Oak is a light to medium tone wood, which sharply contrasts with the dark and even rings. Red Oak is the material of choice for workshop countertops that deal with a lot more than your average kitchen countertop. Red Oak is strong enough to bear weight, as well as flexible enough to absorb small amounts of damage over time. These physical capabilities make Red Oak a wonderful material if you have counter-mounted cabinetry, an extremely heavy sink, or just need a surface which can handle workshop conditions.