Northern Red Oak

Scientific name: Quercus rubra L.

Geographic origin: North America.

Description

  • Sapwood: varies from light gray to pale red
  • Heartwood: varies from pinkish to pale red or light brown
  • Visible woody rays, they present the classic mirrors in the radial section

Capacity of being impregnated

  • Sapwood: capable of being impregnated.
  • Heartwood: from medium to low capacity of being impregnated.

Mechanization

  • Sawing process: no difficulties, excepting hardness.
  • Drying process: slow-very slow. Risk of collapse and cementation. Risk of crack formation.
  • Planing process and other processes: those ones characteristic of its hardness.
  • Gluing process: difficulties can arise from the use of alkaline glues and acid adhesives.
  • Nailing and screwing process: easy.
  • Finish: easy.

Physical properties

  • Apparent density at 12% humidity 710 kg/m3 heavy wood.
  • Dimensional stability
  • - Volumetric contraction coefficient 0.44% stable wood.
  • - Relation between contractions 2.05% tendency to deformity.
  • Hardness (Chaláis-Meudon) 4.8 from semi-hardwood to hardwood.

Northern Red Oak
Mechanical properties

  • Resistance to static flexion 960 kg/cm2.
  • Elasticity module 113,000 kg/cm2.
  • Resistance to compression 450 kg/cm2.
  • Resistance to parallel traction 1,600 kg/cm2 .

Northern Red Oak
Observations

  • It is a cheaper alternative to American White Oak, with greater variation of tonalities and somewhat more porous.
  • Wood packages with a good average width.