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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 Common Names Common Uses Countries of Distribution Distribution Overview Ease of Drying Environmental Profile Family Name Gluing Grain Heartwood Color Kiln Schedules Movement in Service Nailing Natural Durability Numerical Data Odor Planing Polishing Product Sources References Regions of Distribution Resistance to Impregnation Response to Hand Tools Sapwood Color Scientific Name Screwing Staining Steam Bending Strength Properties Texture Trade Name Tree Size Turning Veneering Qualities Scientific Name Quercus mongolica Trade Name Japanese oak Family Name Fagaceae Common Names Japanese oak, Ohnara Regions of Distribution Oceania and S.E. Asia Countries of Distribution  [VIEW MAP] Japan, Mongolia Common Uses Boat building, Cabinetmaking, Charcoal, Construction, Decorative veneer, Flooring, Furniture , Interior construction, Joinery, Paneling , Plywood, Veneer Environmental Profile Status has not been officially assessed Distribution Overview Native to Japan, and occurs on both the North Island (Hokkaido) and the Main Island (Honshu). Heartwood Color Green/grey Red Pink Light yellowish brown to olive brown The color is rather pale compared to that of American White oak (Q. alba ) or European (Q. petraea ) Sapwood Color Clearly differentiated from the heartwood Brown - pale Grain Even Typically straight Rays produce an attractive figure on quarter sawn surfaces Texture Coarse Typically coarse The wood is knot free Natural Durability Perishable Non-durable Heartwood resistant to decay The wood usually contains a large proportion of sapwood which is susceptible to attack by beetles Odor No specific smell or taste Kiln Schedules UK=C Ease of Drying Dries slowly with little degrade Tree Size Trees on the North Island of Japan are reported to grow more slowly and evenly, and produce better quality timber Product Sources Some Japanese oak is imported into the United Kingdom from Japan. Imported material are generally of good quality and are uniform in properties since they are produced from slow, even-growth trees. Blunting Effect Slight bluting effect on cutting tools Gluing Good properties Movement in Service Moderate dimensional stability after seasoning Medium Nailing Good nailing properties Planing Japanese oak, considered to be in the White oak group, is much easier than other White oaks to machine in most operations since it is milder and less dense Resistance to Impregnation The sapwood is readily penetrated by chemical preservatives. Response to Hand Tools Easy to Work Screwing Good screwing properties Turning Poor to Very Poor Results Veneering Qualities The timber is rotary peeled for plywood manufacture, and sliced for decorative veneers Steam Bending Very good Polishing Excellent results Staining Stains very well Strength Properties Low stiffness Low resistance to shock Crushing strength = medium Bending strength (MOR) = medium The wood is somewhat weaker than European oak, and in general weighs less than other oaks on the commercial market. Timber from the North Island of Japan (Hokkaido) is more uniform in structure and is milder than timber from the Main Island (Honshu). Trees on the North Island are reported to grow more slowly and evenly. Numerical Data Item Green Dry English Density 42 lbs/ft3 Specific Gravity 0.64 Weight 39 32. lbs/ft3 Item Green Dry Metric Density 673 kg/m3 Specific Gravity 0.64 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, General Technical Report FPL-GTR-57, Forest Products Laboratory, Madison, Wisconsin. Constantine, Jr. A.J. 1975. Know your Woods - A Complete Guide to Trees, Woods, and Veneers. Revised Edition, Revised by Harry J. Hobbs. Charles Scribner and Sons, New York. 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. Jackson, A. and D. Day. 1992. Good Wood Handbook - The Wood worker's Guide to Identifying, Selecting and Using the Right Wood. HarperCollins Publishers, London. Lincoln, W.A. 1986. World Woods in Color. Linden Publishing Co. Inc. Fresno, California. Wallis, N.K. 1956. Australian Timber Handbook. Sponsored by The Timber Development Association of Australia. Angus & Robertson, Ltd., 89 Castlereagh Street, Sydney, Australia.