Pale brown with a pink tinge, very hard to tell the difference between Red and White Oak. The growth rings are a little further apart which gives a more pronounced grain. The wood is hard and heavy, with medium bending strength and stiffness and high crushing strength. Red oak can vary in colour, texture, characteristics and properties according to the growing region. The American Red Oak that we offer at ITI Timspec is especially good for flooring, decking and furniture.
Red Oak machines well; nailing and screwing are good although pre-boring is recommended, and it can be stained and polished to a very good finish.
This attractive-looking oak, which is widely available, is increasingly being chosen by designers and architects for furniture, joinery, and flooring in export markets around the world.
Botanical Name
Quercus Rubra
Other Names
Red Oak
Origin
North American
Interior
Exterior
Working Qualities
Red oak lumber machines well, with good performance in nailing and screwing, although pre-boring is recommended. It glues well and can be stained and polished to a very good finish. Being porous, red oak absorbs all treatments. The wood dries best slowly to minimise degradation, but with high shrinkage and can be susceptible to movement in performance in humid conditions. The wood is rated as slightly resistant to heartwood decay, but moderately easy to treat with preservatives. This makes red oak suitable for being thermally modified.
Uses
This sustainably managed species group from natural forests of North America, with excellent environmental credentials, is a key species in many export markets. Its main uses are in furniture, flooring, doors, architectural joinery, mouldings and kitchen cabinets. It is also used in certain applications for construction.
Durability In GroundPerishable/Non Durable
Durability Above GroundPerishable/Non Durable
Density Air Dry 980 kg/m3
Density Green 730 kg/m3
Shrinkage Radial 2.8 %
Shrinkage Tangental 6.60 %
Janka Hardness 5.4 kN
Modulus of Rupture 98.599 MPa
Modulus of Elasticity 12.549 GPa
Max Crush Strength 22 MPa
Strength Group UnseasonedS6
Strength Group SeasonedSD6
Comp Strength Parallel to Grain46.610
ASTM Flame Spread 100
ASTM Smoke Developed 100
Timspec was established in 1990 as a wholesaler of specialty timber and was wholly New Zealand owned. In March 2019 Timspec was acquired by ITI Australia and became ITI Timspec LTD.
Today we import, export, and wholesale a huge range of timber to builders, joiners, home owners, floor layers, landscape builders and furniture manufacturers. We pride ourselves on being environmentally responsible and strive to source the most sustainable timber options available. Timber stocked includes species from North America, South America, Europe, Africa, South East Asia, Australia, and New Zealand's exotic as well as indigenous species.
The ITI Timspec team are extremely knowledgeable about the various types of timber, treatments and uses available and are happy to help you in choosing the right product for your project.