Water Oak

Red Oak (Quercus rubra)

Water Oak (Q. rubra pictured)

View More Images Below

 Common Name(s): Water Oak

Scientific Name: Quercus nigra

Distribution: Eastern United States

Tree Size: 50-80 ft (15-24 m) tall, 2-3 ft (.6-1 m) trunk diameter

Average Dried Weight: 47 lbs/ft3 (750 kg/m3)

Basic Specific Gravity: .56

Hardness: 1,190 lbf (5,290 N)

Rupture Strength: 15,400 lbf/in2 (106,200 kPa)

Elastic Strength: 2,020,000 lbf/in2 (13,900 MPa)

Crushing Strength: 6,770 lbf/in2 (46.7 MPa)

Shrinkage: Radial: 4.4%, Tangential: 9.8%, Volumetric: 16.1%, T/R Ratio: 2.2

Color/Appearance: Has a light to medium reddish-brown color, though there can be a fair amount of variation in color. Conversely, White Oak tends to be slightly more olive-colored, 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: Red oaks such as Water Oak do not have the level of decay and rot resistance that White Oaks possess. Durability should be considered minimal.

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

Related Species:

Scans/Pictures: There are currently no pictures of this exact wood species, but a similar species within the Red Oak grouping is being substituted (Q. rubra). 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.

Red Oak (Quercus rubra)

Red Oak (sanded)

Red Oak (sealed)

Red Oak (sealed)

Posted by Eric Hardwoods Print This Post Print This Post Subscribe to RSS feed

3 Responses to “Water Oak”

  1. paige
    June 2nd, 2011 at 8:13 am

    ok, this one time i was out campin g and there was nothing around so i sat under a tree and turns out it was a water oak tree and you know what it did……. IT BIT ME and there was no bug under me ya so that is my experience with water oak trees.

  2. peanut
    June 2nd, 2011 at 8:15 am

    i have a water oak tree in my back yard and it ate my dog i swear it did and then my dad choped it down so it wouldnt eat me.

  3. Shawn Wesche
    June 27th, 2011 at 8:10 am

    I think they were bugs that bit you! You just couldn’t see them.

    Itch Mites
    Itch mites are a fairly new insect discovery, first noted in 2004, according to University of Nebraska at Lincoln Extension. They are microscopic insects that will bite humans causing itching and irritation. The oak leaf gall mite feeds on the larva of midges. More than 16,000 mites can fall from a single infected leaf, according to UNL Extension. The mites can land on people causing painful, itching bites. Mites need about four hours on a human before they start biting.

    Read more: Mites on Oak Trees | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/list_72349.....z1QU9aoLRh

Share Your Experience with this Wood Species: