Swamp Chestnut Oak

Swamp Chestnut Oak (Q. alba pictured)

Common Name(s): Swamp Chestnut Oak Scientific Name: Quercus michauxii Distribution: Southern and Central United States Tree Size: 60-80 ft (18-24 m) tall, 2-3 ft (.6-1 m) trunk diameter Average Dried Weight: 50 lbs/ft3 (805 kg/m3) Basic Specific Gravity: .60 Hardness: 1,240 lbf (5,520 N) Rupture Strength: 13,900 lbf/in2 (95,900 kPa) Elastic Strength: 1,770,000 lbf/in2 (12,200 MPa) Crushing Strength: 7,270 lbf/in2 (50.1 MPa) Shrinkage: Radial: 5.2%, Tangential: 10.8%, Volumetric: 16.4%, T/R Ratio: 2.1

Color/Appearance: Has a light to medium brown color, though there can be a fair amount of variation in color. Conversely, Red Oak tends to be slightly redder, but is by no means a reliable method of determining the type of Oak.

Grain/Pore: Has medium-to-large pores and a fairly coarse grain.

Durability: Swamp Chestnut Oak has been rated as being moderately durable, and moderately resistant to decay.

Workability: Easy to glue, and takes stain and finishes very well.

Scent: Has a tell-tale smell that is common to most oaks. Most find it appealing.

Safety: Although severe reactions are quite uncommon, oak has been reported as a sensitizer. Usually most common reactions simply include eye and skin irritation. See the articles Wood Allergies and Toxicity and Wood Dust Safety for more information.

Price/Availability: Slightly more expensive than Red Oak, White Oak is in good/sustainable supply and is moderately priced. Thicker 8/4 planks, or quartersawn boards are slightly more expensive per board foot.

Comments: Swamp Chestnut Oak falls into the white oak group, and shares many of the same traits as White Oak (Quercus alba). White Oak, along with its brother Red Oak, are commonly used domestic lumber species. Hard, durable, and moderately priced, White Oak presents an exceptional value to woodworkers—which explains why it is so widely used in cabinet and furniture making.

Related Species:

• Black Oak (Quercus velutina)
• Bog Oak
• Brown Oak
• Bur Oak (Quercus macrocarpa)
• California Black Oak (Quercus kelloggii)
• Cherrybark Oak (Quercus pagoda)
• Chestnut Oak (Quercus prinus)
• English Oak (Quercus robur)
• Holm Oak (Quercus ilex)
• Laurel Oak (Quercus laurifolia)
• Live Oak (Quercus virginiana)
• Oregon White Oak (Quercus garryana)
• Overcup Oak (Quercus lyrata)
• Pin Oak (Quercus palustris)
• Post Oak (Quercus stellata)
• Red Oak (Quercus rubra)
• Scarlet Oak (Quercus coccinea)
• Sessile Oak (Quercus petraea)
• Southern Red Oak (Quercus falcata)
• Swamp White Oak (Quercus bicolor)
• Turkey Oak (Quercus cerris)
• Water Oak (Quercus nigra)
• White Oak (Quercus alba)
• Willow Oak (Quercus phellos)

Scans/Pictures: There are currently no pictures of this exact wood species, but a similar species within the White Oak grouping is being substituted (Q. alba). If you’d like to contribute a wood sample of this specific species to be scanned, (even small pieces of veneer can be sent), please use the contact form.

White Oak (sanded)

White Oak (sealed)