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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 Carving Certified Source Common Names Common Uses Countries of Distribution Cutting Resistance Drying Defects Ease of Drying Environmental Profile Family Name Gluing Grain Heartwood Color Kiln Schedules Mortising Moulding Movement in Service Nailing Natural Durability Numerical Data Odor 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 Substitutes Texture Trade Name Tree Size Turning Veneering Qualities Scientific Name Quercus rubra Trade Name Red oak Family Name Fagaceae Common Names American red oak, Black oak, Canadian red oak, Gray oak, Northern red oak, Red oak, Southern red oak Regions of Distribution Eastern Europe, Mediterranean Sea Region, North America, Western Europe Countries of Distribution  [VIEW MAP] Austria, Canada, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Iran, Slovakia, United Kingdom, United States, Yugoslavia Common Uses Agricultural implements, Bedroom suites, Boat building (general), Boat building, Boxes and crates, Building construction, Building materials, Cabin construction, Cabinetmaking, Canoes, Chairs, Chests, Concealed parts (Furniture), Construction, Cooperages, Desks, Dining-room furniture, Domestic flooring, Dowell pins, Dowells, Drawer sides, Drum sticks, Excelsior, Factory construction, Factory flooring, Fine furniture, Floor lamps, Flooring, Fuelwood, Furniture , Furniture components, Furniture squares or stock, Furniture, Handles: general, Hatracks, Heavy construction, Joinery, Kitchen cabinets, Lifeboats, Living-room suites, Millwork, Mine timbers, Musical instruments , Office furniture, Organ pipes, Parquet flooring, Piano keys, Pianos , Plywood, Posts, Pulp/Paper products, Railroad ties, Shipbuilding, Vehicle parts, Veneer Environmental Profile Rank of relative endangerment based on number of occurences globally. May be rare in some parts of its range, especially at the periphery Demonstrably widespread, abundant, and secure globally Data source is Nature Conservancy Heartwood Color Brown Yellow Reddish brown Pale red to pink Pinkish to light reddish brown Pale brown May show a pronounced cast of flesh color Light brown Brown Sapwood Color White to yellow Paler than heartwood Well defined Whitish to grayish brown Pink to pale reddish brown Grain Figure Even Straight Other (figure) Straight Other figure Open Plainsawn lumber usually exhibits a plumed or flared grain appearance, while riftsawn members show a tighter grain pattern and low figuring. Quartersawn red oak boards often have a flake pattern which is sometimes referred to as tiger rays or butterflies. Grain and color variation is usually pronounced and is dependent upon the origin of the wood and the growing season in that locality. Upland red oaks, which tend to grow more slowly, generally have a more uniform grain pattern than lowland red oaks. Texture Even or uniform Uniform Fine Medium Medium to coarse Coarse The texture depends upon the rate of growth of the tree. Red oaks grown in the north are less coarse textured than the faster-grown red oak from the southern states. Red oak rays are generally shorter, narrower and darker in color than White oak rays Natural Durability Perishable Non durable Little resistance to attack by decay and wood destroying insects Odor No specific smell or taste Kiln Schedules US=Upland T4-D2/T3-D1 UK=C US=T3C2/T3C1 Fr=3 Dry at a slow speed Dry at a moderate speed Drying Defects Distortion Slight surface checking Ring failure Moderate twist/warp 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 during drying. Ease of Drying Thick Stock Requires Care Medium to High Shrinkage Moderately Difficult to Difficult Moderate Shrinkage is high Heavy weighting of stacks is essential to prevent degrade End coating is recommended to prevent excessive checking Difficult Dries faster than White oak Tree Size Tree height is 0-10 m Tree height is 10-20 m Northern red oak trees are typically smaller than White oaks (Q. alba ) Product Sources Northern red oak (Q. rubra) and southern red oak (Q. falcata) are the primary sources of commercial American red oak, but their timber is often mixed and marketed together with that produced by other members in the red oak group without distinction. Supplies of red oak are plentiful, and the species is considered to be one of the most commonly available domestic hardwoods in the US. 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 Substitutes White ash (Fraxinus americana) has superiod dimensional stability. Blunting Effect Moderate High to severe Moderate dulling effect on cutting edges Boring Fair to good results Fairly difficult to very difficult Although it is ring porous, Red oak has good boring properties. (Percent of bored pieces with fair to excellent results = 99) Carving Very Good to Excellent Results Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Cutting Resistance Easy to saw Gluing Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Satisfactory gluing properties Moderate gluing properties Easy to glue Mortising Fair to Good Results Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Responds readily to mortising Bores readily with ordinary tools, with very good results Percent of pieces with fair to excellent results = 95) Moulding Fair to Good Results Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Very poor (25+% of pieces will yield good to excellent results) Movement in Service Unstable with Poor Stability - Large Movement Medium Small Moderate dimensional stability after seasoning Nailing Pre-Boring Recommended Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Wood is heavy and hard Pre-boring required Possible if prebored Holds nails well Percent of pieces free from complete splits = 66 Planing Fair to Good Results Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Red oak is hard, but it responds readily to sharp tools in planing to yield clean, smooth surfaces. (Percent of perfectly planed pieces = 91) Resistance to Impregnation Resistant sapwood Resistant heartwood Permeable sapwood Heartwood is moderately resistant Resistant Response to Hand Tools Fairly Difficult to Difficult to Work Easy to machine Works well with hand tools Tools must be kept sharp for maximum efficiency Moderate working qualities Routing & Recessing Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Sanding Yields clean surfaces Sands readily Percent of pieces with good to excellent sanding results = 81 Screwing Pre-boring recommended Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Screwing yields good results Possible if prebored Holds screws firmly Good screwing properties Percent of screwed pieces free from complete splits = 78 Turning Very Good to Excellent Results Surfaces generally clean Good results Number of fair to excellent pieces out of one hundred = 84 Veneering Qualities Suitable for slicing Veneers easily There is slight to moderate drying degrade and the potential for buckles and splits Moderately easy to veneer Steam Bending Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Poor to Very Poor Results Very good Often used for steam bending Percent of unbroken steam bent pieces = 86 Polishing Very Good to Excellent Results Satisfactory results Staining Very Good to Excellent Results Fair to Good Results Good characteristics Finish is generally satisfactory Large pores tend to produce strong contrast in staining. Consistent use of a batch of either quarter sawn or flat sawn stock for a given project is recommended since prominent rays can render seams in edge-glued stock very obvious. A darker colored stain preceded by a light colored filler is reported to produce the 'lime' look, and high tannin content allows the wood to be treated with ammonia to yield a nearly black or 'Jacobean' finish. Strength Properties Weight = high Hardness = medium Crushing strength = high Bending strength (MOR) = high Anatomical differences which correspond to important botanical differences in the trees allow oaks to be separated into two main classes, red and white. Red oaks are found mainly in eastern Canada and the United States. They are made up of several very similar species which include American red oak or Northern red oak (Q. rubra ); Southern red oak (Q. falcata ); Spanish oak, Swamp red oak, or Cherrybark oak (also Q. falcata ); Shumard oak or Pin oak (Q. palustris ); Nuttal oak (Q. nuttallii ); Scarlet oak (Q. coccinea ); Canyon live oak (Q. chrysolepis ); and sometimes Black oak (Q. velutina ). Red oak is regarded as one of the most beautiful woods to work with because of its grain pattern and character. Smaller rays give the timber a plainer figure than white oak, and its open pores make it less water-tight. Red oak is comparable to white oak in strength, and both are used in steam bending applications. Red oak is, however, less decay resistant than white oak or European oak. Also, red oak acorns are more bitter in taste than white oak acorns. Numerical Data Item Green Dry English Bending Strength 8672 13730 psi Crushing Strength 681 1117 psi Density 43 lbs/ft3 Hardness 1152 lbs Impact Strength 53 47 inches Maximum Crushing Strength 3933 6804 psi Shearing Strength 1738 psi Static Bending 4116 8134 psi Stiffness 1430 1701 1000 psi Toughness 470 inch-lbs Work to Maximum Load 13 15 inch-lbs/in3 Specific Gravity 0.56 0.62 Weight 47 42 lbs/ft3 Radial Shrinkage 3 % Tangential Shrinkage 8 % Volumetric Shrinkage 13 % Item Green Dry Metric Bending Strength 609 965 kg/cm2 Crushing Strength 47 78 kg/cm2 Density 689 kg/m3 Hardness 522 kg Impact Strength 134 119 cm Maximum Crushing Strength 276 478 kg/cm2 Shearing Strength 122 kg/cm2 Static Bending 289 571 kg/cm2 Stiffness 100 119 1000 kg/cm2 Toughness 541 cm-kg Work to Maximum Load 0.91 1.05 cm-kg/cm3 Specific Gravity 0.56 0.62 Weight 753 673 kg/m3 Radial Shrinkage 3 % Tangential Shrinkage 8 % References Arno, J. 1988. Quercus rubra - Northern red oak. In A Guide to Useful Woods of the World. Flynn Jr., J.H., Editor. King Philip Publishing Co., Portland, Maine. 1994. Page 309-310. 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. Brown, W.H.,1978,Timbers of the World: - No.7 North America,TRADA California Department of Forestry. Comparative Physical & Mechanical Properties of Western & Eastern Hardwoods. Prepared by Forest Products Laboratory, University of California at Berkeley, Berkeley, California. n/d. Canadian Forestry Service. 1981. Canadian Woods - Their Properties and Uses. Third Edition. E.J. Mullins and T.S. McKnight, Editors. Published by University of Toronto Press, Toronto, Canada. Clifford, N.,1957,Timber Identification for the Builder and Architect,Leonard Hill (Books) LTD. London Farmer, R.H.,1972,Handbook of Hardwoods,HMSO 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 I.U.F.R.O.,1973,Veneer Species of the World,Assembled at F.P.L. Madison on behalf of I.U.F.R.O. Working Party on,Slicing and Veneer Cutting Jackson, A. and D. Day. 1991. Good Wood Handbook - The Woodworker's Guide to Identifying, Selecting and Using the Right Wood. Betterway Publications, Cincinnati, Ohio. Kaiser, J. Wood of the Month: Red Oak - A Plentiful Species. Wood & Wood Products, December, 1992. Page 50. Lavers, G.M.,1983,The Strength Properties of Timber (3rd ed. revised Moore G.L.,Forest Products Research Laboratory, Princes Risborough, Building Research,Establishment Report (formerly Bulletin No.50) Little, E.L. 1980. The Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Trees - Eastern Region. Published by Arthur A. Knopf, New York. Markwardt, L.J., Wilson, T.R.C.,1935,Strength and related properties of woods grown in the United States,U.S.A. Department of Agriculture Technical Bulletin,No.479 Mullins, E.J. and McKnight, T.S.,1981,Canadian Woods Their Properties and Uses,University of Toronto Press 3rd Edition NWFA. 1994. Wood Species Used in Wood Flooring. Technical Publication No. A200. National Wood Flooring Association, Manchester, MO. 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. Record, S.J. and R.W. Hess. 1943. Timbers of the New World. Published on the Charles Lathrop Pack Foundation, Yale University Press, New Haven CT. Rijsdijk, L.F. and Laming, P.B.,1994,Physical and Related Properties of 145 Timbers, Information for,Practice,TNO Building and Construction Research Centre for Timber Research Kluwer,Academic Publishers Stone, H.,1924,The Timbers of Commerce and their Identification,William Rider & Sons Ltd. London Titmuss, F.H.,1965,Commercial Timbers of the World,Technical Press Ltd., London, 3rd edition U.S.D.A. Forest Service,1974,Wood Handbook,U.S.A. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service Handbook,72 USDA. 1987. Wood Handbook:Wood as an Engineering Material. Agriculture Handbook No. 72. United States Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Madison, Wisconsin. USDA. 1988. Dry Kiln Operators Manual, Preliminary Copy. Forest Service, Forest Products Laboratory, Madison, Wisconsin.