The Oak Family

Red Oak Group


red-oakRed Oak

Scientific Name: Quercus rubra
Location: northeastern USA & southeastern Canada
Dried Weight: 44lbs/ft3
Janka Hardness: 1,200lbf
Crushing Strength: 6,780lbf /in2

Red oak has a heartwood with a light to medium brown color, with a reddish cast. The sapwood is nearly white to a light brown color. The grain is straight and it has a coarse uneven texture. The end grain is ring-porous. Oak is rated as non-durable to perishable in regards to decay. It is a good wood to work with but it can react with iron. The wood glues, stains, finishes, and responds well to steam bending.

 

black-oakBlack Oak

Scientific Name: Quercus velutina
Location: Eastern North America
Dried Weight: 45lbs/ft3
Janka Hardness: 1,210lbf
Crushing Strength: 6,450lbf /in2

Black oak has a light to medium reddish brown color. It has a coarse grain and the end grain is ring-porous. It is rated as slightly durable to non -durable in regards to decay. The wood is easy to glues and takes stain and finishes well.

 

california-black-oakCalifornia Black Oak

Scientific Name: Quercus kelloggii
Location: western USA
Dried Weight: 39lbs/ft3
Janka Hardness: 1,090lbf
Crushing Strength: not available

California Black Oak has a light to medium reddish brown color. It has a coarse grain and the end grain is ring-porous. It is rated as slightly durable to non -durable in regards to decay. The wood is easy to glues and takes stain and finishes well.
cherrybark oakCherrybark Oak

Scientific Name: Quercus pagoda
Location: Eastern USA/td>
Dried Weight: 49lbs/ft3
Janka Hardness: 1,480lbf
Crushing Strength: 8,740lbf /in2

Cherrybark oak has a light to medium reddish brown color. It has a coarse grain and the end grain is ring-porous. It is rated as slightly durable to non-durable in regards to decay. The wood is easy to glues and takes stain and finishes well.

 

laurel-oakLaurel Oak

Scientific Name: Quercus laurifolia
Location: Southeastern USA
Dried Weight: 46lbs/ft3
Janka Hardness: 1,210lbf
Crushing Strength: 6,980lbf /in2

Laurel oak has a light to medium reddish brown color. It has a coarse grain and the end grain is ring-porous. It is rated as slightly durable to non-durable in regards to decay. The wood is easy to glues and takes stain and finishes well.

 

pin-oakPin Oak

Scientific Name: Quercus palustris
Location: eastern USA
Dried Weight: 44lbs/ft3
Janka Hardness: 1,500lbf
Crushing Strength: 6,750lbf /in2

Pin oak has a light to medium reddish brown color. It has a coarse grain and the end grain is ring-porous. It is rated as slightly durable to non-durable in regards to decay. The wood is easy to glues and takes stain and finishes well.

 

scarlet-oakScarlet Oak

Scientific Name: Quercus coccinea
Location: eastern USA
Dried Weight: 46lbs/ft3
Janka Hardness: 1,400lbf
Crushing Strength: 8,250lbf /in2

Scarlet oak has a light to medium reddish brown color. It has a coarse grain and the end grain is ring-porous. It is rated as slightly durable to non -durable in regards to decay. The wood is easy to glues and takes stain and finishes well.

 

shumard oakShumard Oak

Scientific Name: Quercus shumardii
Location: southeastern USA
Dried Weight: 46lbs/ft3
Janka Hardness: 1,290lbf
Crushing Strength: not available

Shumard oak has a light to medium reddish brown color. It has a coarse grain and the end grain is ring-porous. It is rated as slightly durable to non-durable in regards to decay. The wood is easy to glues and takes stain and finishes well.

 

southern-red-oakSouthern Red Oak

Scientific Name: Quercus falcata
Location: southeastern USA
Dried Weight: 42lbs/ft3
Janka Hardness: 1,060lbf
Crushing Strength: 6,090lbf /in2

Southern red oak has a light to medium reddish brown color. It has a coarse grain and the end grain is ring-porous. It is rated as slightly durable to non-durable in regards to decay. The wood is easy to glues and takes stain and finishes well.

 

water-oakWater Oak

Scientific Name: Quercus nigra
Location: eastern USA
Dried Weight: 45lbs/ft3
Janka Hardness: 1,190lbf
Crushing Strength: 6,770lbf /in2

Water oak has a light to medium reddish brown color. It has a coarse grain and the end grain is ring-porous. It is rated as slightly durable to non-durable in regards to decay. The wood is easy to glues and takes stain and finishes well.

 

willow-oakWillow Oak

Scientific Name: Quercus phellos
Location: eastern USA
Dried Weight: 48lbs/ft3
Janka Hardness: 1,460lbf
Crushing Strength: 7,040lbf /in2

Willow oak has a light to medium reddish brown color. It has a coarse grain and the end grain is ring-porous. It is rated as slightly durable to non -durable in regards to decay. The wood is easy to glues and takes stain and finishes well.

 

White Oak Group


 

white-oakWhite Oak

Scientific Name: Quercus alba
Location: eastern USA
Dried Weight: 47lbs/ft3
Janka Hardness: 1,350lbf
Crushing Strength: 7,370lbf /in2

White oak has a heartwood that is light to medium brown, commonly with a olive cast. The sapwood is nearly white to light brown in color. The grain is straight and it has a coarse uneven texture. The end grain is ring-porous. The oak is rated as very durable in regards to decay. It is good to work with but can react to iron. It responds well to steam bending and glues, stains, and finishes well.

 

bur-oakBur Oak

Scientific Name: Quercus macrocarpa
Location: eastern and midwestern USA & southcentral Canada
Dried Weight: 45lbs/ft3
Janka Hardness: 1,360lbf
Crushing Strength: 5,890lbf /in2

Bur oak is light to medium brown in color. It has a coarse grain and the end grain is ring-porous. The wood is rated as very durable in regards to decay. It is easy to glue, takes stain, and finishes well.

 

chestnut-oakChestnut Oak

Scientific Name: Quercus prinus
Location: eastern USA
Dried Weight: 47lbs/ft3
Janka Hardness: 1,130lbf
Crushing Strength: 6,830lbf /in2

Chestnut oak is light to medium brown in color. It has a coarse grain and the end grain is ring-porous. The wood is rated as very durable in regards to decay. It is easy to glue, takes stain, and finishes well.

 

english-oak-sEnglish Oak

Scientific Name: Quercus robur
Location: most of Europe to Asia Minor, and North Africa
Dried Weight: 42lbs/ft3
Janka Hardness: 1,120lbf
Crushing Strength: 6,720lbf /in2

English oak has a heartwood that is light to medium brown, commonly with a olive cast. The sapwood is nearly white to light brown in color. The grain is straight and it has a coarse uneven texture. The end grain is ring-porous. The oak is rated as very durable in regards to decay. It is good to work with but can react to iron. It responds well to steam bending and glues, stains, and finishes well.

 

holm-oak-sHolm Oak

Scientific Name: Quercus ilex
Location: Mediterranean Basin
Dried Weight: 50lbs/ft3
Janka Hardness: 1,610lbf
Crushing Strength: not available

Holm oak has a light to medium brown color. It has a fairly coarse grain. The oak has a good rot resistance. It is easy to glue, takes stain, and finishes well.

 

Oregon Whoregon-white-oakite Oak

Scientific Name: Quercus garryana
Location: pacific Northwestern USA
Dried Weight: 51lbs/ft3
Janka Hardness: 1,640lbf
Crushing Strength: not available

Oregon White oak has a light to medium brown color. It has a fairly coarse grain. The oak has a good rot resistance. It is easy to glue, takes stain, and finishes well.

 

overcup-oakOvercup Oak

Scientific Name: Quercus lyrata
Location: eastern USA
Dried Weight: 47lbs/ft3
Janka Hardness: 1,190lbf
Crushing Strength: 6,200lbf /in2

Overcup oak has a light to medium brown color. It has a fairly coarse grain. The oak has a good rot resistance. It is easy to glue, takes stain, and finishes well.

 

post-oakPost Oak

Scientific Name: Quercus stellata
Location: eastern USA
Dried Weight: 47lbs/ft3
Janka Hardness: 1,350lbf
Crushing Strength: 6,530lbf /in2

Post oak has a light to medium brown color. It has a fairly coarse grain. The oak has a good rot resistance. It is easy to glue, takes stain, and finishes well.

 

Sessile OakSessile Oak

Scientific Name: Quercus petraea
Location: most of Europe to Asia Minor
Dried Weight: 44lbs/ft3
Janka Hardness: 1,120lbf
Crushing Strength: 6,860lbf /in2

Sessile oak has a medium yellowish-brown color. The grain is coarse and it may have an irregular or interlocked grain. The wood is rated as very durable in regards to decay. It is easy to glue, it takes stain, and it finishes very well.

 

swamp-chestnut-oak Swamp Chestnut Oak

Scientific Name: Quercus michauxii
Location: southern & central USA
Dried Weight: 49lbs/ft3
Janka Hardness: 1,230lbf
Crushing Strength: 7,200lbf /in2

Swamp Chestnut oak has a light to medium brown color. It has a fairly coarse grain. The oak has a good rot resistance. It is easy to glue, takes stain, and finishes well.

 

swamp-white-oakSwamp White Oak

Scientific Name: Quercus bicolor
Location: eastern & midwestern USA
Dried Weight: 48lbs/ft3
Janka Hardness: 1,600lbf
Crushing Strength: 8,400lbf /in2

Swamp White oak has a light to medium brown color. It has a fairly coarse grain. The oak has a good rot resistance. It is easy to glue, takes stain, and finishes well.

Other Oaks


 

Bog bog-oak-sOak

Bog Oak is not a specific species, but is rather a term that designates oak that has been buried in a peat bog for hundreds or sometimes thousands of years. The extremely low oxygen conditions of the bog protect the wood from normal decay, while the underlying peat provides acidic conditions where iron salts and other minerals react with the tannins in the wood, gradually giving it a distinct dark brown to almost black color.

 

brown-oak-s

Brown Oak

Brown Oak technically not a distinct species of oak, but rather refers to oak that has been infected with a fungus. This fungus (Fistulina hepatica) has the effect of turning the wood a deep brown color. Once the wood has been cut and dried, the fungus dies, leaving a rich golden brown lumber.

 

 

live-oakLive Oak

Scientific Name: Quercus virginiana
Location: southeastern USA
Dried Weight: 63lbs/ft3
Janka Hardness: 2,680lbf
Crushing Strength: 8,810lbf /in2

Live oak has a light to medium brown color. The grain is straight and it has a coarse uneven texture. The end grain is diffuse-porous. Live oak is rated as very durable in regards to decay. It is easy to glue, takes stain, and finishes very well.

 

tan oak-wtTan Oak

Scientific Name:
Location: western USA
Dried Weight: 42lbs/ft3
Janka Hardness: 1,420lbf
Crushing Strength: 8,250lbf /in2

Tan oak has a sapwood which is very wide and it is not clearly differentiated from the heartwood. Both are a light to medium brown color which will darken with age. The grain is straight and it has a uniform medium to coarse texture. The end grain is diffuse-porous to semi-ring-porous. Tan oak is rated as non-durable to perishable in regards to decay. It is good to work with and glues, stains, and finishes well.

 

Turkey OakTurkey Oak

Scientific Name: Quercus cerris
Location: Europe & Asia
Dried Weight: 45lbs/ft3
Janka Hardness: 1,200lbf
Crushing Strength: 8,170lbf /in2

Turkey Oak has a light to medium brown color. It’s grain is coarse. The wood is rated as durable to moderately durable in regards to decay. It is easy to work with, it takes stain, and finishes well.