| Quercus spp | AVAILABILITY: Readily available. | |
The Latin name for oak, Quercus, means "a fine tree." The oaks have been key in America's industrial transformation: Railroad ties, wheels, plows, looms, barrels and, of course, furniture and floors. The red oak is the state tree of New Jersey. GENERAL DESCRIPTION The sapwood of red oak is white to light brown and the heartwood is a pinkish reddish brown. The wood is similar in general appearance to white oak, but with a slightly less pronounced figure due to the smaller rays. The wood is mostly straight-grained, with a coarse texture. WORKING PROPERTIES Red oak machines well, nailing and screwing are good although pre-boring is recommended, and it can be stained to a good finish. Can be stained with a wide range of finish tones. It dries slowly. PHYSICAL PROPERTIES The wood is hard and heavy, with medium bending strength and stiffness and high crushing strength. It is very good for steam bending. Great wear-resistance. MAIN USES Furniture, flooring, architectural millwork and mouldings, doors, kitchen cabinets, paneling, and caskets. |
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