Quercus rubra, spp. Red Oak is probably the most widely used and abundant hardwood in the eastern United States. Oak has a characteristic ring porous grain pattern; the wood is heavy, hard and stiff. The heartwood of Red Oak ranges in color from "wheat" to a "light honey", sapwood is light off-white.
Red Oak is also one of the most widely used hardwood species. It is prized in the manufacturing of furniture, cabinets, and interior decorative items — especially flooring, stairs, and mouldings.
Use:
Furniture, interior decoration — flooring, stairs, millwork, paneling, doors, household goods, woodenware.
Availability:
Widely available in thicknesses 4/4 through 8/4.
Generally available 10/4 and thicker.
Price:
Moderate.
Relative Working Properties:
| Machining | Resistance to Splitting in Nailing |
Resistance to Splitting in Screwing |
Gluing |
| Excellent | Good | Excellent | Good |
Physical Properties:
| Specific Gravity (12% M.C.) | Average Shipping Weight kilograms (kg) per cubic metre (m3) Air Dry | Average Volumetric Shrinkage (oven dry % of Green) | Modulus of Rupture (Kilopascals) | Modulus of Elasticity (Megapascals) | Side Hardness (Newtons) |
| 0.63 | 640 | 16.1 | 99,000 | 12,500 | 5,700 |