SCIENTIFIC NAME
Quercus rubra. Derivation: The genus name is the classic Latin name for oaks, derived from the Celtic fine and tree. The specific epithet is Latin for red.

FAMILY
Fagaceae, the beech family.

OTHER NAMES
eastern red oak, gray oak, mountain red oak, chene rouge.

DISTRIBUTION
Northern red oak has an expansive range extending from southern Quebec to central Alabama and from extreme eastern Nebraska to the Atlantic Ocean.

THE TREE
Typically, northern red oak is smaller than white oak (Q. alba WDS 230) reaching heights of 60 to 70 feet and diameters of up to about 3 feet. The leaves have pointed lobes and, on mature trees, the almost black bark is deeply furrowed. Northern red oak is the official tree of Prince Edward Island, Canada and the state tree of New Jersey.

THE TIMBER
The heartwood is light reddish-tan. The sapwood, usually about 2 inches wide, is almost white in color. Like most oaks, the rays are prominent, but they are generally shorter, narrower and darker in color than those of white oak. As a result, quartersawn northern red oak is far less showy. With an average reported specific gravity of 0.56 (ovendry weight/green volume), equivalent to an air-dried weight of 43 pd, it is also somewhat softer than white oak (specific gravity of 0.60). Because northern red oak is extremely ring porous, timber from slow-growing trees will be less dense and more porous than that produced by fast-growing trees. Northern red oak is slightly more elastic than white oak, but it is weaker with respect to shear parallel to the grain and hardness. Both are strong timbers and appropriate for applications where strength is important.

DURABILITY
Unless treated with preservatives, northern red oak is nondurable and subject to fungi and insect attack.

WORKABILITY
This species is hard, but it machines reasonably well for a ring-porous wood. Because of the prominent rays, care should be taken to segregate quartersawn and flatsawn stock using one or the other consistently in a given project. Otherwise, once stained, edge-glued seams will become glaringly obvious. Like other oaks, its high tannin content can be irritating to the skin. These same features, however, while potentially negative, offer great flexibility with respect to the types of finishes which can be achieved. Due to its exceptionally open grain, use of a light-colored filler followed by a darker stain produces the once popular limed look. The high tannin content allows it to be ammonia fumed to an almost black "Jacobean" finish. Also, careful selection of quartersawn stock yields a ray-dominated look that is truly unique.

SEASONING
Northern red oak experiences above average shrinkage while drying, so the pile should be well weighted to prevent the upper layers from warping. Average reported shrinkage values (green to ovendry) are 4.0% radial, 8.6% tangential and 13.7% volumetric. Otherwise, it is not difficult to air dry. It dries substantially faster than white oak because, unlike white oak, its vessels (pores) are relatively free of tyloses. The plentiful rays tend to inhibit excessive checking, but it is always wise to coat the end grain

USES
The wood of northern red oak is indistinguishable from that of southern red oak, and these two species (combined with other species) are marketed as red oak and used for mine timbers, cabinetry, flooring, millwork, plywood, railroad ties and many other purposes.

SUPPLIES
Supplies of northern red oak are plentiful. It is one of the most, if not the most, commonly available U.S. domestic hardwood. Because it is also one of the fastest growing species of oak, prospects are good that it will remain plentiful and relatively inexpensive for years to come.

Information from A Guide to Useful Woods of the World, Second Edition, James H. Flynn, Jr. and Charles D. Holder, Editors.
Forest Products Society, Madison, Wisconsin, 2001.

Photographs from MDArtworks