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Clicking any heading in the main data area (at right) will scroll the page back to this top position. Use the following links to jump to the associated section in the main data. Blunting Effect Boring Certified Source Common Names Common Uses Countries of Distribution Cutting Resistance Distribution Overview Drying Defects Ease of Drying Environmental Profile Family Name Gluing Grain Heartwood Color Kiln Drying Rate Kiln Schedules Luster Mortising Moulding Movement in Service Nailing Natural Durability Numerical Data Odor Painting Planing Polishing Product Sources References Regions of Distribution Resistance to Impregnation Response to Hand Tools Routing & Recessing Sanding Sapwood Color Scientific Name Screwing Staining Steam Bending Strength Properties Texture Trade Name Tree Size Turning Varnishing Veneering Qualities Scientific Name Quercus coccinea Trade Name Scarlet oak Family Name Fagaceae Common Names Black oak, Cucharillo, Encino, Encino negro, Mamecillo, Oak, Red oak, Roble, Roble amarillo, Roble colorado, Roble encino, Roblecito, Scarlet oak, Spanish oak Regions of Distribution Mediterranean Sea Region, North America Countries of Distribution  [VIEW MAP] Canada, United States Common Uses Baskets, Bent Parts, Boat building, Building materials, Cabinetmaking, Canoes, Chairs, Chests, Concealed parts (Furniture), Cooperages, Core Stock, Decorative veneer, Desks, Dining-room furniture, Domestic flooring, Dowell pins, Dowells, Drawer sides, Excelsior, Figured veneer, Fine furniture, Floor lamps, Flooring, Food containers, Framing, Fuelwood, Furniture , Furniture components, Furniture squares or stock, Hatracks, Interior construction, Interior trim, Joinery, Kitchen cabinets, Lifeboats, Millwork, Pallets, Paneling , Tables , Veneer, Woodenware Environmental Profile Abundant/Secure Widespread Rank of relative endangerment based on number of occurences globally. May be rare in some parts of its range, especially at the periphery Globally secure Data source is Nature Conservancy Abundant Distribution Overview The growth range of Scarlet oak in North America includes Ontario, Alabama, Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, Michigan, Missouri, Mississippi, North Carolina, Great Smoky Mountain National Park, Arkansas, Illinois, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, Vermont, Wisconsin, and West Virginia. The tree can tolerate various soil types, especially poor and sandy soils. It grows with other oaks and in mixed forests on upland ridges and slopes. Scarlet oak is also planted in Great Britain as an ornamental because of its scarlet foliage in the fall season. Heartwood Color Brown Yellow Orange White Red Tan Pinkish to light reddish brown or light brown. The wood may also show a pronounced cast of flesh color Sapwood Color Red Brown Yellow White Whitish to grayish brown Pink to pale reddish brown Grain Even Figure Usually straight Open because of the porous nature of the wood. Plainsawn red oak lumber usually has a plumed or flared plain appearance, while riftsawn boards exhibit a tighter grain pattern and low figuring. Quartersawn red oak boards often have a flaked pattern which is sometimes referred to as tiger rays or butterflies, although the figure is not as prominent as in the white oaks. Variation in color and grain is often pronounced and is dependent upon the origin of the wood and prevailing growing conditions. Red oaks from upland areas tend to grow more slowly, and generally have a more uniform grain pattern than lowland red oaks Texture Coarse Texture is largely dependent upon growth rate. Slow growing Red oak from the north parts of its range is often generally less coarse-textured than its faster-grown counterparts from the southern states Luster Medium Low Natural Durability Durable Very durable Non-resistant to powder post beetles Susceptible to insect attack Heartwood has low natural resistance to decay and wood destroying organisms It is inferior to white oak with respect to this property Odor Has an odor No specific smell or taste Kiln Schedules US=Upland T4-D2/T3-D1 Drying Defects Splitting Checking Internal Honeycombing Possible Collapse Distortion Discoloration Ring failure Honeycombing possible Defects include:uneven moisture, chemical stains, iron stains, and are attributable to wetwood (usually in old growth) Defects found in both upland and lowland red oak Upland red oak is also prone to collapse Ease of Drying Moderately Difficult to Difficult Slowly Thick Stock Requires Care End coating is recommended to prevent excessive checking Difficult Since shrinkage tends to be above average piles should be weighted down during air-seasoning to prevent degrade, especially in members in the upper layers Kiln Drying Rate Naturally dries slowly Tree Size Tree height is 20-30 m Trunk diameter is 100-150 cm Tree height is 10-20 m Sapwood width is 0-5 cm Bole length is 10-20 m Tree height is 30-40 m Sapwood width is 5-10 cm Trunk diameter is 150-200 cm Trunk diameter is 200-250 cm Heights of 150 feet (45 m) are reported to have been recorded for red oak trees Product Sources Although the primary sources of commercial American red oak are northern red oak (Q. rubra) and southern red oak (Q. falcata), various species in the red oak class are mixed and marketed together without distinction. Supplies of red oak are plentiful, and the species is one of the most commonly available domestic hardwoods. Oak in general, and particularly red oak, is the most popular timber for furniture, followed by cherry, pine, mahogany, ash, pecan, hard maple, and walnut. Red oak is also a popular export to other countries, and is one of the most popular American oaks used in Europe. Certified Source Certified Source Blunting Effect Moderate High to severe Moderate dulling effect on cutting edges Boring Fair to good results Fairly easy to very easy Very good results Bored surfaces usually clean Cutting Resistance Easy to saw Gluing Fairly Easy to Very Easy Fair to Good Results Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Satisfactory gluing properties Mortising Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Mortising is very easy Mortise finishing is very good Moulding Fair to Good Results Very Good to Excellent Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Movement in Service Fair to Good Stability - Medium Movement Unstable with Poor Stability - Large Movement Excellent Stability - Small Movement Moderate dimensional stability after seasoning Medium Nailing Pre-Boring Recommended Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Fair to Good Results Very Good to Excellent Results Pre-boring recommended Planing Very Good to Excellent Results Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Fair to Good Results Response to machining operations is reasonable, despite the hardness of red oaks Resistance to Impregnation Resistant heartwood Permeable sapwood Resistant sapwood Response to preservative treatment is reported to range from moderate to easy. Response to Hand Tools Easy to Work Fairly Difficult to Difficult to Work Works well with hand tools Routing & Recessing Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Sanding Responds very well to preservative treatment Screwing Pre-boring recommended Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Very Good to Excellent Results Good screwing properties Turning Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Very good Veneering Qualities Suitable for peeling Veneers easily Veneers moderately easy Steam Bending Very Good to Excellent Results Fair to Good Results Red oak timbers are commonly used in steam bending applications Painting Very Good to Excellent Results Fair to Good Results Polishing Fair to Good Results Very Good to Excellent Results Staining Fair to Good Results Very Good to Excellent Results Open grain allows great flexibilty in the selection of finishes for red oaks. A darker stain preceded by a light filler is reported to produce the popular lime appearance. The wood can also be treated with ammonia to produce an almost black 'Jacobean' finish because of the high tannin content. Ray pattern on quarter-sawn boards can also yield a truly unique look. Tip: To avoid conspicuous differences in stained, edge-glued members, separate quarter-sawn and flat-sawn boards and use one consistently for a given project Varnishing Fair to Good Results Very Good to Excellent Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Strength Properties Weight = high Max. crushing strength = high Hardness = medium Compression strength (parallel to grain) = high Bending strength (MOR) = high Oaks are classified into two main groups: red oaks and white oaks. Although members within each group may be similar, they do not have the same characteristics and may differ significantly. The Red oak group is plentiful in eastern Canada and the United States. The name Red oak is used in reference to several similar oaks which include American red oak or Northern red oak (Q. rubra ); Southern red oak, Spanish oak, Swamp red oak, or Cherrybark oak (Q. falcata ); Shumard oak or Pin oak (Q. palustris ); Nuttal oak (Q. nuttallii ); Scarlet oak (Q. coccinea ); and sometimes Black oak (Q. velutina ). Red oaks are often described as beautiful because of grain pattern and character. They tend to be plainer in appearance than white oaks because of their smaller rays, and they are not as watertight as white oaks because of their open pores. The two groups are comparable in strength, and they are both used in steam bending applications. Red oaks tend to be less resistant to decay than white oaks or European oaks. Also, red oak acorns are much more bitter in taste than white oak acorns. Numerical Data Item Green Dry English Bending Strength 8413 14749 psi Crushing Strength 813 1098 psi Hardness 1372 lbs Impact Strength 53 52 inches Maximum Crushing Strength 4008 8163 psi Shearing Strength 1852 psi Stiffness 1450 1622 1000 psi Work to Maximum Load 15 20 inch-lbs/in3 Specific Gravity 0.52 0.59 Weight 61 41 lbs/ft3 Radial Shrinkage 4 % Tangential Shrinkage 11 % Volumetric Shrinkage 15 % Item Green Dry Metric Bending Strength 591 1036 kg/cm2 Crushing Strength 57 77 kg/cm2 Hardness 622 kg Impact Strength 134 131 cm Maximum Crushing Strength 281 573 kg/cm2 Shearing Strength 130 kg/cm2 Stiffness 101 114 1000 kg/cm2 Work to Maximum Load 1.05 1.40 cm-kg/cm3 Specific Gravity 0.52 0.59 Weight 977 657 kg/m3 Radial Shrinkage 4 % Tangential Shrinkage 11 % References Boone, R.S., C.J. Kozlik, P.J. Bois and E.M. Wengert. 1988. Dry Kiln Schedules for Commercial Woods: Temperate and Tropical. United States Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Forest Products Laboratory, General Technical Report FPL-GTR-57, Madison, Wisconsin. HMSO. 1981. Handbook of Hardwoods, 2nd Edition. Revised by R.H. Farmer. Department of the Environment, Building Research Establishment, Princes Risborough Laboratory, Princes Risborough, Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire. Kaiser, J. Wood of the Month: Red Oak - A Plentiful Species. Wood & Wood Products, December, 1992. Page 50. Kaiser, J. 1990. Wood of the Month - Red Oak:From Bitter Acorns Red Oaks Grow. Wood of the Month Annual, Supplement to Wood and Wood Products, September, 1990. Page 26A. Laidlaw, W.B.R. 1960. Guide to British Hardwoods. Published by Leonard Hill [Books] Limited, 9 Eden Street, N.W.1, London. Little, E.L. 1980. The Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Trees - Eastern Region. Published by Arthur A. Knopf, New York. Panshin, A.J. and C. deZeeuw. 1980. Textbook of Wood Technology, 4th Edition. McGraw-Hill Series in Forest Resources. McGraw-Hill Book Company, New York. Rendle, B.J. Editor. 1969. World Timbers, Volume Two - North & South America (Including Central America and the West Indies). Published by Ernest Benn Limited, Bouverie House, Fleet Street, London. USDA. 1987. Wood Handbook - Wood as an Engineering Material, Forest Service, Agriculture Handbook No. 72, Forest Products Laboratory, Madison, Wisconsin. USDA. 1988. Dry Kiln Operators Manual, Preliminary Copy. Forest Service, Forest Products Laboratory, Madison, Wisconsin.