Oak: Quercus spp. Fagaceae

Worldwide, the oaks (Quercus spp.) consist of 275 to 500 species that can be separated into three groups based on their microanatomy: the live or evergreen oak group, the red oak group (Erythrobalanus), and the white oak group (Leucobalanus). Species within each group look alike microscopically. The word quercus is the classical Latin name of oaks, said to be derived from Celtic fine and tree.

The commercial North American species are as follows: Red Oak Group (Erythrobalanus)

Quercus coccinea bastard oak, black oak, buck oak, red oak, scarlet oak, Spanish oak, spotted oak

Quercus falcata American red oak, bottomland red oak, cherrybark oak, Elliott oak, red oak, Spanish oak, southern red oak, swamp red oak, swamp spanish oak, turkeyfoot oak, water oak

Quercus kelloggii black oak, California black oak, Kellogg oak, mountain black oak

Quercus laurifolia Darlington oak, diamond-leaf oak, laurel oak, laurel-leaf oak, swamp laurel oak, water oak, obtusa oak

Quercus nigra American red oak, blackjack, pin oak, possum oak, punk oak, red oak, spotted oak, water oak

Quercus nuttallii nuttall oak, pin oak, red oak, red river oak, striped oak

Quercus palustris pin oak, red oak, Spanish oak, Spanish swamp oak, Spanish water oak, swamp oak, swamp Spanish oak, water oak

Quercus phellos black oak, laurel oak, peach oak, pin oak, red oak, swamp willow oak, water oak, willow oak, willow swamp oak

Quercus rubra American red oak, black oak, buck oak, Canadian red oak, common red oak, gray oak, eastern red oak, leopard oak, Maine red oak, mountain red oak, northern red oak, red oak, Spanish oak, spotted oak, southern red oak, swamp red oak, water oak, West Virginia soft red oak

Quercus shumardii American red oak, Schneck oak, Schneck red oak, shumard oak, Shumard red oak, southern red oak, spotted bark, spotted oak, swamp red oak, Texas oak, Texas red oak

Quercus velutina American red oak, blackjack, black oak, dyer oak, jack oak, quercitron, quercitron oak, redbush, red oak, smoothbark oak, spotted oak, tanbark oak, yellowbark, yellow oak, yellowbark oak

White Oak Group (Leucobalanus)

Quercus alba American white oak, Arizona oak, Arizona white oak, forked-leaf white oak, Louisiana white oak, mantua oak, ridge white oak, stave oak, true white oak, West Virginia soft white oak, white oak

Quercus bicolor blue oak, cherry oak, curly swamp oak, swamp oak, swamp white oak, white oak

Quercus garryana Brewer oak, Garry oak, Oregon oak, Oregon white oak, Pacific post oak, Pacific white oak, post oak, prairie oak, shin oak, western oak, western white oak, white oak

Quercus lyrata American white oak, overcup oak, swamp post oak, swamp white oak, water white oak

Quercus macrocarpa blue oak, bur oak, burr oak, mossycup oak, mossy-overcup oak,

overcup oak, scrub oak, white oak, white mossycup oak, white overcup oak

Quercus michauxii American white oak, basket oak, cow oak, swamp oak, swamp chestnut oak

Quercus muehlenbergii chestnut oak, chinkapin oak, chinquapin oak, dwarf chestnut oak, dwarf chinkapin, pin oak, rock oak, rock chestnut oak, running white oak, scrub oak, shrub oak, white oak, yellow oak, yellow chestnut oak

Quercus prinus American white oak, basket oak, chestnut oak, chestnut rock oak, chestnut swamp oak, cow oak, mountain oak, rock oak, rock chestnut, rock chestnut oak, swamp oak, tanbark oak, white oak, white chestnut oak

Quercus stellata American post oak, barren white oak, bastard oak, bastard white

oak, box oak, box white oak, brash oak, Delta post oak, Durand oak, iron oak, pin oak post oak, ridge oak, rough oak, rough white oak, southern oak, turkey oak, white box oak, white oak

Live Oak Group

Quercus virginiana dwarf live oak, encino, live oak, rolfs oak, scrub live oak,

Virginia live oak, Virginia oak

Distribution: Widely distributed throughout the United States.

The Tree: Oaks can reach a height of 125 ft (38 m), with large diameters.

General Wood Characteristics: The sapwood of oak is white to very light brown, while the heartwood is light to dark brown in the white oak group and reddish brown in the red oak group. Oak wood has a course texture; it is heavy, straight-grained, hard, tough, very stiff, and strong. Fast-grown oak, with wide rings, is stronger and heavier than slow-grown oak.

Weighta
			Weight
Species	MC	SG	lb/ft3	kg/m3
Red Oak Group
Quercus coccinea	Green	0.60	62	993
(scarlet oak)	12%	0.67	47	753
	Ovendry	0.71	NA	NA
Quercus falcata	Green	0.52	62	993
(southern red oak)	12%	0.59	41	657
	Ovendry	0.62	NA	NA
Quercus falcata var. pagodifolia (cherrybark oak)	Green 12%	0.61 0.68	68 47	1,089 753
	Ovendry	0.71	NA	NA
Quercus laurifolia	Green	0.56	65	1,041
(laurel oak)	12%	0.63	44	705
	Ovendry	0.70	NA	NA
Quercus nigra	Green	0.56	63	1,009
(water oak)	12%	0.63	44	705
	Ovendry	0.68	NA	NA
Quercus palustris	Green	0.58	63	1,009
(pin oak)	12%	0.63	44	705
	Ovendry	0.68	NA	NA
Quercus phellos	Green	0.56	67	1073
(willow oak)	12%	0.69	48	769
	Ovendry	0.69	NA	NA
Quercus rubra	Green	0.56	63	1,009
(northern red oak)	12%	0.63	44	705
	Ovendry	0.66	NA	NA
Quercus velutina	Green	0.56	62	993
(black oak)	12%	0.61	43	689
	Ovendry	0.67	NA	NA

Weight—con.
Species	MC	SG	Weight
Species	MC	SG	lb/ft3	kg/m3
White Oak Group
Quercus alba	Green	0.60	62	993
(white oak)	12%	0.68	48	769
	Ovendry	0.71	NA	NA
Quercus bicolor	Green	0.64	69	1,105
(swamp white oak)	12%	0.72	50	801
	Ovendry	0.79	NA	NA
Quercus garryana	Green	0.64	69	1,105
(Oregon white oak)	12%	0.72	50	801
	Ovendry	0.75	NA	NA
Quercus lyrata	Green	0.57	NA	NA
(overcup oak)	12%	0.63	NA	NA
	Ovendry	NA	NA	NA
Quercus macrocarpa	Green	0.58	62	993
(bur oak)	12%	0.64	45	721
	Ovendry	0.67	NA	NA
Quercus michauxii	Green	0.60	65	1,041
(swamp chestnut oak)	12%	0.67	47	753
	Ovendry	0.76	NA	NA
Quercus prinus	Green	0.57	61	977
(chestnut oak)	12%	0.66	46	737
	Ovendry	0.67	NA	NA
Quercus stellata	Green	0.60	63	1,009
(post oak)	12%	0.67	47	753
	Ovendry	0.74	NA	NA
Live Oak Group
Quercus virginiana	Green	0.80	76	1,218
(live oak)	12%	0.88	62	993
	Ovendry	0.98	NA	NA

aReferences: specific gravity, green and 12%, (98), except for Q. garryana (59); specific gravity, ovendry, (59); weight, (59).

Mechanical propertiesa
Property Green			Dry
Red Oak Group Quercus coccinea (scarlet oak) MOE 1.48 × 106 lbf/in2 MOR 10.4 × 103 lbf/in2 C\| \| 4.09 × 103 lbf/in2 C ⊥ 0.83 × 103 lbf/in2 WML 15.0 in-lbf/in3 Hardness 1,200 lbf		10.204 GPa 71.708 MPa 28.201 MPa 5.723 MPa 103.425 kJ/m3 5,337.60 N	1.91 × 106 lbf/in2 17.4 × 103 lbf/in2 8.33 × 103 lbf/in2 1.12 × 103 lbf/in2 20.5 in-lbf/in3 1,400 lbf	13.169 GPa 119.973 MPa 57.435 MPa 7.722 MPa 141 .348 kJ/m3 6,227.20 N
Shear\| \|	1.41 × 103 lbf/in2	9.722 MPa	1.89 × 103 lbf/in2	13.031 MPa
Quercus falcata (southern red oak)
MOE	1.14 × 106 lbf/in2	7.860 GPa	1.49 × 106 lbf/in2	10.274 GPa
MOR	6.90 × 103 lbf/in2	47.576 MPa	10.9 × 103 lbf/in2	75.156 MPa
C\| \|	3.03 × 103 lbf/in2	20.892 MPa	6.09 × 103 lbf/in2	41 .991 MPa
C ⊥	0.55 × 103 lbf/in2	3.792 MPa	0.87 × 103 lbf/in2	5.999 MPa
WML	8.0 in-lbf/in3	55.160 kJ/m3	9.4 in-lbf/in3	64.813 kJ/m3
Hardness	860 lbf	3,825.28 N	1,060 lbf	4,714.88 N
Shear\| \|	0.93 × 103 lbf/in2	6.412 MPa	1.39 × 103 lbf/in2	9.584 MPa
Quercus falcata var. pagodifolia (cherrybark oak)
MOE	1.79 × 106 lbf/in2	12.342 GPa	2.28 × 106 lbf/in2	15.721 GPa
MOR	10.8 × 103 lbf/in2	74.466 MPa	18.1 × 103 lbf/in2	124.800 MPa
C\| \|	4.62 × 103 lbf/in2	31.855 MPa	8.74 × 103 lbf/in2	60.262 MPa
C ⊥	0.76 × 103 lbf/in2	5.240 MPa	1.25 × 103 lbf/in2	8.619 MPa
WML	14.7 in-lbf/in3	101 .357 kJ/m3	18.3 in-lbf/in3	126.179 kJ/m3
Hardness	1,240 lbf	5,515.52 N	1,480 lbf	6,583.04 N
Shear\| \|	1.32 × 103 lbf/in2	9.101 MPa	2.00 × 103 lbf/in2	13.790 MPa
Quercus laurifolia (laurel oak)
MOE	1.39 × 106 lbf/in2	9.584 GPa	1.69 × 106 lbf/in2	11.653 GPa
MOR	7.90 × 103 lbf/in2	54.471 MPa	12.6 × 103 lbf/in2	86.877 MPa
C\| \|	3.17 × 103 lbf/in2	21.857 MPa	6.98 × 103 lbf/in2	48.127 MPa
C ⊥	0.57 × 103 lbf/in2	3.930 MPa	1.06 × 103 lbf/in2	7.309 MPa
WML	11.2 in-lbf/in3	77.224 kJ/m3	11.8 in-lbf/in3	81.361 kJ/m3
Hardness	1,000 lbf	4,448.00 N	1,210 lbf	5,382.08 N
Shear\| \|	1.18 × 103 lbf/in2	8.136 MPa	1.83 × 103 lbf/in2	12.617 MPa
Quercus nigra (water oak)
MOE	1.55 × 106 lbf/in2	10.687 GPa	2.02 × 106 lbf/in2	13.928 GPa
MOR	8.90 × 103 lbf/in2	61.366 MPa	15.4 × 103 lbf/in2	106.183 MPa
C\| \|	3.74 × 103 lbf/in2	25.787 MPa	6.77 × 103 lbf/in2	46.679 MPa
C ⊥	0.62 × 103 lbf/in2	4.275 MPa	1.02 × 103 lbf/in2	7.033 MPa
WML	11.1 in-lbf/in3	76.535 kJ/m3	21.5 in-lbf/in3	148.243 kJ/m3
Hardness	1,010 lbf	4,492.48 N	1,190 lbf	5,293.12 N
Shear\| \|	1.24 × 106 lbf/in2	8.549 MPa	2.02 × 103 lbf/in2	13.927 MPa
Quercus palustris (pin oak)
MOE	1.32 × 106 lbf/in2	9.101 GPa	1.73 × 106 lbf/in2	11.928 GPa
MOR	8.30 × 103 lbf/in2	57.229 MPa	14.0 × 103 lbf/in2	96.530 MPa
C\| \|	3.68 × 103 lbf/in2	25.374 MPa	6.82 × 103 lbf/in2	47.024 MPa
C ⊥	0.72 × 103 lbf/in2	4.964 MPa	1.02 × 103 lbf/in2	7.033 MPa
WML	14.0 in-lbf/in3	96.530 kJ/m3	14.8 in-lbf/in3	102.046 kJ/m3
Hardness	1,070 lbf	4,759.36 N	1,510 lbf	6,716.48 N
Shear\| \|	1.29 × 103 lbf/in2	8.894 MPa	2.08 × 103 lbf/in2	14.341 MPa

Mechanical properties—con.
Property Green			Dry
Quercus phellos (willow oak) MOE 1.29 × 106 lbf/in2 MOR 7.40 × 103 lbf/in2 C\| \| 3.00 × 103 lbf/in2 C ⊥ 0.61 × 103 lbf/in2		8.894 GPa 51 .023 MPa 20.685 MPa 4.206 MPa	1.90 × 106 lbf/in2 14.5 × 103 lbf/in2 7.04 × 103 lbf/in2 1.13 × 103 lbf/in2	13.101 GPa 99.978 MPa 48.541 MPa 7.791 MPa
WML	8.8 in-lbf/in3	60.676 kJ/m3	14.6 in-lbf/in3	100.667 kJ/m3
Hardness	980 lbf	4,359.04 N	1,460 lbf	6,494.08 N
Shear\| \|	1.18 × 103 lbf/in2	8.136 MPa	1.65 × 103 lbf/in2	11.376 MPa
Quercus rubra (northern red oak)
MOE	1.35 × 106 lbf/in2	9.308 GPa	1.82 × 106 lbf/in2	12.549 GPa
MOR	8.30 × 103 lbf/in2	57.229 MPa	14.3 × 103 lbf/in2	98.599 MPa
C\| \|	3.44 × 103 lbf/in2	23.719 MPa	6.76 × 103 lbf/in2	46.610 MPa
C ⊥	0.61 × 103 lbf/in2	4.206 MPa	1.01 × 103 lbf/in2	6.964 MPa
WML	13.2 in-lbf/in3	91 .014 kJ/m3	14.5 in-lbf/in3	99.978 kJ/m3
Hardness	1,000 lbf	4,448.00 N	1,290 lbf	5,737.92 N
Shear\| \|	1.21 × 103 lbf/in2	8.343 MPa	1.78 × 103 lbf/in2	12.273 MPa
Quercus velutina (black oak)
MOE	1.18 × 106 lbf/in2	8.136 GPa	1.64 × 106 lbf/in2	11.308 GPa
MOR	8.20 × 103 lbf/in2	56.539 MPa	13.9 × 103 lbf/in2	95.841 MPa
C\| \|	3.47 × 103 lbf/in2	23.926 MPa	6.52 × 103 lbf/in2	44.955 MPa
C ⊥	0.71 × 103 lbf/in2	4.895 MPa	0.93 × 103 lbf/in2	6.412 MPa
WML	12.2 in-lbf/in3	84.119 kJ/m3	13.7 in-lbf/in3	94.462 kJ/m3
Hardness	1,060 lbf	4,714.88 N	1,210 lbf	5,382.08 N
Shear\| \|	1.20 × 103 lbf/in2	8.274 MPa	1.91 × 103 lbf/in2	13.169 MPa
White Oak Group (Leucobalanus)
Quercus alba (white oak)
MOE	1.25 × 106 lbf/in2	8.618 GPa	1.78 × 106 lbf/in2	12.273 GPa
MOR	8.30 × 103 lbf/in2	57.229 MPa	15.2 × 103 lbf/in2	104.804 MPa
C\| \|	3.56 × 103 lbf/in2	24.546 MPa	7.44 × 103 lbf/in2	51 .299 MPa
C ⊥	0.67 × 103 lbf/in2	4.620 MPa	1.07 × 103 lbf/in2	7.378 MPa
WML	11.6 in-lbf/in3	79.982 kJ/m3	14.8 in-lbf/in3	102.046 kJ/m3
Hardness	1,060 lbf	4,714.88 N	1,360 lbf	6,049.28 N
Shear\| \|	1.25 × 103 lbf/in2	8.618 MPa	2.00 × 103 lbf/in2	13.790 MPa
Quercus bicolor (swamp white oak)
MOE	1.59 × 106 lbf/in2	10.963 GPa	2.05 × 106 lbf/in2	14.135 GPa
MOR	9.90 × 103 lbf/in2	68.261 MPa	17.7 × 103 lbf/in2	122.042 MPa
C\| \|	4.36 × 103 lbf/in2	30.062 MPa	8.60 × 103 lbf/in2	59.297 MPa
C ⊥	0.76 × 103 lbf/in2	5.240 MPa	1.19 × 103 lbf/in2	8.205 MPa
WML	14.5 in-lbf/in3	99.978 kJ/m3	19.2 in-lbf/in3	132.384 kJ/m3
Hardness	1,160 lbf	5,159.68 N	1,620 lbf	7,205.76 N
Shear\| \|	1.30 × 103 lbf/in2	8.963 MPa	2.00 × 103 lbf/in2	13.790 MPa
Quercus lyrata (overcup oak)
MOE	1.15 × 106 lbf/in2	7.929 GPa	1.42 × 106 lbf/in2	9.791 GPa
MOR	8.00 × 103 lbf/in2	55.160 MPa	12.6 × 103 lbf/in2	86.877 MPa
C\| \|	3.37 × 103 lbf/in2	23.236 MPa	6.20 × 103 lbf/in2	42.749 MPa
C ⊥	0.54 × 103 lbf/in2	3.723 MPa	0.81 × 103 lbf/in2	5.585 MPa
WML	12.6 in-lbf/in3	86.877 kJ/m3	15.7 in-lbf/in3	108.252 kJ/m3
Hardness	960 lbf	4,270.08 N	1,190 lbf	5,293.12 N
Shear\| \|	1.32 × 103 lbf/in2	9.101 MPa	2.00 × 103 lbf/in2	13.790 MPa

Mechanical properties—con.
Property Green			Dry
Quercus macrocarpa (bur oak) MOE 0.88 × 106 lbf/in2 MOR 7.20 × 103 lbf/in2 C\| \| 3.29 × 103 lbf/in2 C ⊥ 0.68 × 103 lbf/in2		6.067 GPa 49.644 MPa 22.685 MPa 4.689 MPa	1.03 × 106 lbf/in2 10.3 × 103 lbf/in2 6.06 × 103 lbf/in2 1.20 × 103 lbf/in2	7.102 GPa 71 .019 MPa 41.784 MPa 8.274 MPa
WML	10.7 in-lbf/in3	73.777 kJ/m3	9.8 in-lbf/in3	67.571 kJ/m3
Hardness	1,110 lbf	4,937.28 N	1,370 lbf	6,093.76 N
Shear\| \|	1.35 × 103 lbf/in2	9.308 MPa	1.82 × 103 lbf/in2	12.548 MPa
Quercus michauxii (swamp chestnut oak)
MOE	1.35 × 106 lbf/in2	9.308 GPa	1.77 × 106 lbf/in2	12.204 GPa
MOR	8.50 × 103 lbf/in2	58.608 MPa	13.9 × 103 lbf/in2	95.841 MPa
C\| \|	3.54 × 103 lbf/in2	24.408 MPa	7.27 × 103 lbf/in2	50.127 MPa
C ⊥	0.57 × 103 lbf/in2	3.930 MPa	1.11 × 103 lbf/in2	7.653 MPa
WML	12.8 in-lbf/in3	88.256 kJ/m3	12.0 in-lbf/in3	82.740 kJ/m3
Hardness	1,110 lbf	4,937.28 N	1,240 lbf	5,515.52 N
Shear\| \|	1.26 × 103 lbf/in2	8.687 MPa	1.99 × 103 lbf/in2	13.721 MPa
Quercus prinus (chestnut oak)
MOE	1.37 × 106 lbf/in2	9.446 GPa	1.59 × 106 lbf/in2	10.963 GPa
MOR	8.00 × 103 lbf/in2	55.160 MPa	13.3 × 103 lbf/in2	91 .704 MPa
C\| \|	3.52 × 103 lbf/in2	24.270 MPa	6.83 × 103 lbf/in2	47.093 MPa
C ⊥	0.53 × 103 lbf/in2	3.654 MPa	0.84 × 103 lbf/in2	5.792 MPa
WML	9.4 in-lbf/in3	64.813 kJ/m3	11.0 in-lbf/in3	75.845 kJ/m3
Hardness	890 lbf	3,958.72 N	1,130 lbf	5,026.24 N
Shear\| \|	1.21 × 103 lbf/in2	8.343 MPa	1.49 × 103 lbf/in2	10.273 MPa
Quercus stellata (post oak)
MOE	1.09 × 106 lbf/in2	7.515 GPa	1.51 × 106 lbf/in2	10.411 GPa
MOR	8.10 × 103 lbf/in2	55.850 MPa	13.2 × 103 lbf/in2	91 .014 MPa
C\| \|	3.48 × 103 lbf/in2	23.995 MPa	6.60 × 103 lbf/in2	45.507 MPa
C ⊥	0.86 × 103 lbf/in2	5.930 MP a	1.43 × 103 lbf/in2	9.860 MPa
WML	11.0 in-lbf/in3	75.845 kJ/m3	13.2 in-lbf/in3	91.014 kJ/m3
Hardness	1,130 lbf	5,026.24 N	1,360 lbf	6,049.28 N
Shear\| \|	1.28 × 103 lbf/in2	8.825 MPa	1.84 × 103 lbf/in2	12.686 MPa
Live Oak Group
Quercus virginiana (live oak)
MOE	1.58 × 106 lbf/in2	10.894 GPa	1.98 × 106 lbf/in2	13.652 GPa
MOR	11.9 × 103 lbf/in2	82.051 MPa	18.4 × 103 lbf/in2	126.868 MPa
C\| \|	5.43 × 103 lbf/in2	37.440 MPa	8.90 × 103 lbf/in2	61 .366 MPa
C ⊥	2.04 × 103 lbf/in2	14.066 MPa	2.84 × 103 lbf/in2	19.582 MPa
WML	12.3 in-lbf/in3	84.809 kJ/m3	18.9 in-lbf/in3	130.316 kJ/m3
Hardness	NA	NA	NA	NA
Shear\| \|	2.21 × 103 lbf/in2	15.237 MPa	2.66 × 103 lbf/in2	18.340 Mpa

aReference (98).

Drying and shrinkagea
	Percentage of shrinkage (green to final moisture content)
Type of shrinkage	0% MC		6% MC		20% MC
Tangential
Red Oak Group
Quercus coccinea (scarlet oak)	10.8		7.8		3.2
Quercus falcata (southern red oak)	11.3		NA		NA
Quercus falcata var. pagodifolia (cherrybark oak)	10.6		NA		NA
Quercus laurifolia (laurel oak)	9.9		NA		NA
Quercus nigra (water oak)	9.8		7.4		3.1
Quercus palustris (pin oak)	9.5		7.6		3.2
Quercus phellos (willow oak)	9.6		NA		NA
Quercus rubra (northern red oak)	8.6		6.6		2.7
Quercus velutina (black oak)	11.1		7.8		3.2
White Oak Group Quercus alba (white oak) Quercus bicolor (swamp white oak) Quercus lyrata (overcup oak)		10.5 NA 12.7		7.2 NA NA		3.0 NA NA
Quercus macrocarpa (bur oak)		8.8		7.0		2.9
Quercus michauxii (swamp chestnut oak)		10.8		8.6		3.6
Quercus prinus (chestnut oak)		10.8		7.8		3.2
Quercus stellata (post oak)		9.8		7.8		3.3
Live Oak Group
Quercus virginiana (live oak)		9.5		7.6		3.2
Radial
Red Oak Group
Quercus coccinea (scarlet oak)		4.4		3.7		1.5
Quercus falcata (southern red oak)		4.7		NA		NA
Quercus falcata var. pagodifolia (cherrybark oak)		5.5b		NA		NA
Quercus laurifolia (laurel oak)		4.0		NA		NA
Quercus nigra (water oak)		4.4		3.4		1.4
Quercus palustris (pin oak)		4.3		3.4		1.4
Quercus phellos (willow oak)		5.0		NA		NA
Quercus rubra (northern red oak)		4.0		3.2		1.3
Quercus velutina (black oak)		4.4		3.6		1.5
White Oak Group
Quercus alba (white oak)		5.6		4.2		1.8
Quercus bicolor (swamp white oak)		NA		NA		NA
Quercus lyrata (overcup oak)		5.3		NA		NA
Quercus macrocarpa (bur oak)		4.4		3.5		1.5
Quercus michauxii (swamp chestnut oak)		5.2		4.2		1.7
Quercus prinus (chestnut oak)		5.3		4.4		1.8
Quercus stellata (post oak)		5.4		4.3		1.8
Live Oak Group
Quercus virginiana (live oak)		6.6		5.3		2.2

Drying and shrinkage—con.

			Percentage of shrinkage (green to final moisture content)
	Type of shrinkage		0% MC	6% MC	20% MC
	Volumetric
	Red Oak Group
	Quercus coccinea (scarlet oak)		14.7	11.0	4.6
	Quercus falcata (southern red oak)		16.1	NA	NA
	Quercus falcata var. pagodifolia (cherrybark oak)		16.1	NA	NA
	Quercus laurifolia (laurel oak)		19.0	NA	NA
	Quercus nigra (water oak)		16.1	13.1	5.5
	Quercus palustris (pin oak)		14.5	11.6	4.8
	Quercus phellos (willow oak)		18.9	NA	NA
	Quercus rubra (northern red oak)		13.7	10.8	4.5
	Quercus velutina (black oak)		15.1	11.4	4.7
White Oak Group
Quercus alba (white oak)		16.3		12.6		5.3
Quercus bicolor (swamp white oak)		NA		NA		NA
Quercus lyrata (overcup oak)		16.0		NA		NA
Quercus macrocarpa (bur oak)		12.7		10.2		4.2
Quercus michauxii (swamp chestnut oak)		16.4		13.1		5.5
Quercus prinus (chestnut oak)		16.4		13.4		5.6
Quercus stellata (post oak)		16.2		13.0		5.4
Live Oak Group
Quercus virginiana (live oak)		14.7		11.8		4.9

aReferences: 0% MC, (98); 6% and 20%, (90). bReference (90).

Kiln drying schedulea
	4/4, 5/4, 6/4	8/4	10/4	12/4	16/4
Species	stock	stock	stock	stock	stock
Western oaksb	T3-B1	T3-B1	NA	NA	NA
Upland red oaksc	T4-D2	T3-D1	T3-C1	T3-C1	NA
Lowland red oaksd	T2-C1	Table 113	NA	NA	NA
Upland white oakse	T4-C2	T3-C1	T3-B1	T3-B1	NA
Lowland white oaksf	T2-C1	Table 113	NA	NA	NA
aReferences (6, 86).

bCalifornia black, Oregon white, canyon live.

cBlack, blackjack, cherrybark, northern pin, northern red, scarlet, Schumard, southern red, turkey, water.

dCherrybark, laurel, nuttall, pin, Shumard, water, willow.

eBlue, bur, chestnut, chinkapin, Emory, Gambel, Mexican blue, post, white. fBur, live, overcup, swamp chestnut, swamp white, white.

Working Properties: Oak wood has good working properties. It machines and glues well and holds fasteners extremely well. It tends to split when nailed, unless predrilled. Oak finishes well, but shrinks considerably.

Durability: The oaks are rated with respect to resistance to heartwood decay as follows (98):

Very resistant bur oak, chestnut oak, Gambel oak, Oregon oak,

post oak and white oak

Moderately resistant swamp chestnut oak

Slightly to nonresistant black oak and red oak

Preservation: The heartwood of the white oak group is resistant to impregnation with preservatives, whereas that of the red oak group is more easily penetrated.

Uses: Ships, railroad crossties, timber bridges, tannin dyes, fuel wood, hardwood dimensions and flooring, furniture, veneer, plywood, barrels, kegs and casks (white oak group), truck and trailer beds, mining timbers, containers, pallets, caskets, boxes, paneling.

Toxicity: May cause allergic bronchial asthma, rhinitis, and dermatitis (40, 64, 105). Additional Reading: 29, 55, 68, 74, 78.

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