 Red Oak (Quercus rubra)
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Common Name(s): Red Oak
Scientific Name: Quercus rubra Distribution: Northeastern United States and Southeastern Canada Tree Size: 80-115 ft (25-35 m) tall, 3-6 ft (1-2 m) trunk diameter Average Dried Weight: 44 lbs/ft3 (700 kg/m3) Specific Gravity (Basic, 12% MC): .56, .70 Janka Hardness: 1,220 lbf (5,430 N) Modulus of Rupture: 14,380 lbf/in2 (99.2 MPa) Elastic Modulus: 1,761,000 lbf/in2 (12.14 GPa) Crushing Strength: 6,780 lbf/in2 (46.8 MPa) Shrinkage: Radial: 4.0%, Tangential: 8.6%, Volumetric: 13.7%, T/R Ratio: 2.2 |
Color/Appearance: Heartwood is a light to medium brown, commonly with a reddish cast. Nearly white to light brown sapwood is not always sharply demarcated from the heartwood. Quartersawn sections display prominent ray fleck patterns. 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/Texture: Grain is straight, with a coarse, uneven texture. The pores are so large and open that it is said that a person can blow into one end of the wood, and air will come out the other end: provided that the grain runs straight enough. (See the video below.)
Endgrain: Ring-porous; 2-4 rows of large, exclusively solitary earlywood pores, numerous small latewood pores in radial arrangement; tyloses absent; growth rings distinct; rays large and visible without lens; apotracheal parenchyma diffuse-in-aggregates (short lines between rays).
Rot Resistance: Rated as non-durable to perishable, with poor insect resistance. Stains when in contact with water (particularly along the porous growth ring areas). Red Oaks do not have the level of decay and rot resistance that White Oaks possess.
Workability: Produces good results with hand and machine tools. Has moderately high shrinkage values, resulting in mediocre dimensional stability, especially in flatsawn boards. Can react with iron (particularly when wet) and cause staining and discoloration. Responds well to steam-bending. Glues, stains, and finishes well.
Odor: Has a tell-tale smell that is common to most oaks. Most find it appealing.
Allergies/Toxicity: Although severe reactions are quite uncommon, oak has been reported as a sensitizer. Usually most common reactions simply include eye and skin irritation, as well as asthma-like symptoms. See the articles Wood Allergies and Toxicity and Wood Dust Safety for more information.
Pricing/Availability: Abundant availability in a good range of widths and thicknesses, both as flatsawn and quartersawn lumber. Usually slightly less expensive than White Oak, prices are moderate for a domestic hardwood, though thicker planks or quartersawn boards are slightly more expensive.
Sustainability: This wood species is not listed in the CITES Appendices or on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
Common Uses: Cabinetry, furniture, interior trim, flooring, and veneer.
Comments: Arguably the most popular hardwood in the United States, Red Oak is a ubiquitous sight in many homes. Even many vinyl/imitation wood surfaces are printed to look like Red Oak. 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.
- 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)
- Japanese Oak (Quercus mongolica)
- 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)
- Scarlet Oak (Quercus coccinea)
- Sessile Oak (Quercus petraea)
- Shumard Oak (Quercus shumardii)
- Southern Red Oak (Quercus falcata)
- Swamp Chestnut Oak (Quercus michauxii)
- Swamp White Oak (Quercus bicolor)
- Turkey Oak (Quercus cerris)
- Water Oak (Quercus nigra)
- White Oak (Quercus alba)
- Willow Oak (Quercus phellos)
Scans/Pictures: You can see from the picture below that the color of Red Oak looks almost identical, though slightly darker, with sanding sealer applied. However, the grain and pores become much more pronounced if a pigment stain is used.
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Red Oak (sanded) |
 Red Oak (sealed) |
 Red Oak (endgrain) |
 Red Oak (endgrain 10x) |
can anyone help me identify my wooden floor? I dont know what types of wood is this i.e. Oak, maple, pine etc.
appreciate it
its oak.
Hi I had a question about something I’m building with red oak. I was wondering if I have a 1 x 15 board for a tv stand across 5ft across, would I need a support half way to keep it from bowing? The tv is about 50lbs
Let’s face it, some of use just plain like the hue of it and the historic use of red oak it a favorite of some of us. Built a warm rifle rack with antler mounts for a Hawken rifle I built . Gave it ghe 100 year treatment and Tung oil. The red came shining thru.
Mark I very much agree with you
I think red oak (Q. Rubra) in particular is overrated and pathetic
Why
because WHY BOTHER WITH RED OAK WHEN THERE IS WHITE OAK??!! Red oak”s rot resistance is non durable to perishable, whereas white oak is very durable. White oak also has a higher Janka hardness!
Well, red oak has some qualities of better to work with. It’s easier to cut, plane and has a deeper look to it qtr. Sawn that is.
It’s a fine wood to work with when your building indoor furniture or milling trim.
It’s also about 50 cents per nd foot.. considerable savings when you run a shop like me.
I do love white too. I would use real for outside projects tho.
Or just a good pine.. firs or lodgepoll ..
I like red..
Not for outside, but what craftsman uses oak outside.
Teak is affordable and has better resistance I experience..
I don’t know what century you are living in, but Teak is not affordable and hasn’t been for some time. Teak is the gold standard of weather resistance so yes, it is durable.
As a teak Subsitute, try Iroko (Milicia excelsa) called “African Teak” – still pricey but usually less than half the bd/ft price of true teak. Fir and redwood wears well outdoors, but White oak will outlast any softwood (maybe save old growth redwood heartwood, but thats debatable).
Red oak is great for indoor woodwork, I agree.
Eastern aromatic will way outlast white oak amd will even come close to teak.