Red Oak

Red Oak

Scarlet Oak, Southern Red Oak, Pin Oak, Cherrybark Oak

North America

Eastern and northern areas of the USA, Southern Canada and native in Central and Southern Europe for more than 200 years. Most frequent species of Oak in North America.

Veneer. Only very good logs are used for slicing, others are peeled. Red Oak is also used for facing in the furniture and door industries and as construction wood. Unlike in White Oak, Red Oak wood is not suitable for staves due to its open pores.

The color is light reddish to dark red. Compared with White Oak it is considerably larger in diameter and cleaner. Knife stain can very easily occur when slicing since the wood contains more tannic acid than found in White Oak and the water flow is facilitated by the open pores.

Red Oak can be quickly and cleanly worked with all the usual tools. No machining problems are given with this species of wood.

The wood must be dried slowly and carefully because of the great tendency to check and warp.

Surface treatments present no problems. Red Oak is very well suited for rustic stains (i.e. dark ones).

Red Oak can be glued without problems. Screw and nail joints hold firmly but the holes should be pre-drilled to prevent splitting.