RED OAK



Red Oak like most of the North American Oaks is very hearty and grows quite large, which results in high availability and affordable pricing. Red Oak is a strong species that bends rather well due to its open grain structure.
Because Red Oak has such a large growth range, inconsistencies do arise among the trees. Sapwood should be avoided in Red Oak, but since sapwood is often overlooked during grading, careful inspection is necessary to prevent wastage of your product.
Red Oak due to its high level of tannins, Red Oak will corrode steel fasteners; this can then cause staining of the wood over time. This same staining can occur when water-based glues and steel clamps are used, so care should be taken during assembly to avoid these products.
Because of open pores and grain, Red Oak will finish well, but a uniform surface can sometimes be hard to obtain without pore filler. Red Oak wood will stain nicely, however, because it has so many pores to capture and hold pigment.
With its availability, Red Oak lumber is used in a wide range of applications. Red Oak is commonly used by retail stores for shelves, molding, and merchandising fixtures.

SPECIES DETAILS

  • Botanical Name: Quercus rubra
  • Color: Heartwood is a light to medium brown, commonly with a reddish cast nearly white to light brown.
  • Origin: North America
  • Grain/Texture: Grain is straight with a coarse uneven texture.
  • Rot Resistance: Rated as non-durable to perishable, with poor insect resistance. Red Oaks do not have the level of decay and rot resistance that White Oak possesses.
  • Workability: Produces good results with hand and machine tools. It responds well to steam-bending. Glues, stains and finishes well.
  • Availability: Abundant availability in a good range of widths and thicknesses, both as flat sawn and quarter sawn lumber. Prices are moderate, though thicker planks or quarter sawn boards are slightly more expensive.
  • Uses: Cabinetry, furniture, interior trim, flooring, and veneer.

STOCK AVAILABILITY

  • Quarter Sawn Lumber:
  • Quarter sawn Beams:
  • Sawn Lumber
  • Grading: FEQ, S2S, S3S, S4S
  • Round logs
  • Rough squares
  • Wider Boards
  • Drying: KD, AD



SPECIFICATIONS

Character

Green

Dry

Units

Bending Strength
8750
14050
psi
Crushing Strength
695
1140
psi
Max Crushing Strength
3665
6900
psi
Static Bending
4200
8300
psi
Impact Strength
54
50
inches
Stiffness
1440
1755
1000 psi
Work to Maximum Load
15
15
in-lbs/in3
Hardness
-
1290
lbs
Shearing Strength
-
1780
psi
Specific Gravity
0.57
0.64
-
Weight
63
43
lbs/ft3
Radial Shrinkage
-
4
%
Tangential Shrinkage
-
8
%
Volumetric Shrinkage
-
13
%