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Red Oak – Qtr Cut

Qtr Cut Red Oak 1

Red oak (scientific name: Quercusrubra) has a heartwood of light to medium brown color, with a reddish cast. Sapwood is nearly white to light brown and not distinguishable from the heartwood. Its texture is coarse and uneven, and its grain is straight. Quarter cut/sawn sections have prominent ray fleck patterns.

Red oak is commonly found in southeastern Canada and northeastern United States. It is not durable for heartwood decay.

Janka Hardness :

5,430 N (1,220 lbf)

Average Dried Weight :

700 kg/m3 (44 lbs/ft3)

Workability :

Good results can be are achieved with either hand tools or machine tools. Red oak turns well and responds well to steam bending. It is good with glues and stains and finishes well. Its moderate to high shrinkage value results in poor dimensional stability, particularly in flat cut/sawn boards. It is prone to reacting with iron, especially when wet, which causes discoloration and staining.

1

Pricing / Availability

Red oak is a hardwood type that is readily available in almost all domestic markets in various thicknesses and the form of flat-sawn and quarter-sawn lumber. It is marginally cheaper than White Oak, but its quarter-sawn boards and thicker planks are relatively more expensive.

2

Sustainability

It is not mentioned in the CITES Appendices or on the IUCN’s Red List.

3

Common Uses

It is generally used in furniture, in cabinetry, for flooring purposes, and for decorative purposes, such as interior trims in households.

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