Red Oak Specification

American hardwood lumber is sawn in imperial measure and is sold in the USA by the board foot (1board foot = 1inch x 12inches by 12inches). Some US hardwood producers can supply in metric but normally this conversion is carried out by the importer if required by their customers. Red oak is the most widely produced and abundant of all the American hardwood species and is available as lumber in all standard thicknesses, mainly 4/4, 5/4, 6/4 and 8/4, although 10/4, 12/4 and even 16/4 are available in smaller volumes from specialised producers. Red oak is available in all the standard NHLA grades (FAS, FAS/1F, #1Com and #2Com). Some producers may also offer their own grades based on special sorts for specification and colour although these grades are still based on the NHLA approach. (see AHEC publication The Illustrated Guide to American Hardwood Lumber Grades for more details). Red oak is also the main item for US hardwood veneer production and a wide range of grades and appearances are available usually selected for specific customer requirements. Sliced veneer sheets for export are 0.6 mm in thickness and are usually sold to the wholesaler in flitches (squared log that is sliced) to allow matching for colour and grain where required.

Red oak grows extensively in the hardwood forests and in this environment it is able to grow reasonably tall and straight. The sheer volume of production also helps lumber availability so that a good proportion of long and wide boards with straight, uniform grain can be obtained. This makes red oak ideal for doors, mouldings, furniture, architectural interiors and internal joinery, such as stair parts. Because of its open cellular structure, it can absorb moisture and is thus not generally suitable for wine barrels or external joinery, unless first treated with a suitable preservative.

Recognising that the needs of specific applications vary widely, based upon the vision of individual designers, it is generally accepted that doors, mouldings and architectural joinery, usually need higher grades, which produce larger specifications of clearer and more straight grained material. Lumber grades such as FAS/F1F and Selects yield longer clear lengths, while the lower grades, including #1Com and #2Com, can be used for furniture and kitchen cabinets, where generally design calls for smaller lengths and widths. Flooring, such as strip flooring and parquet, is another example where lower grades can be used with the benefit of lower cost without compromising yield.

The visual appearance of red oak, being found throughout the northern and southern states, varies greatly across the U.S. There are also many types (subspecies) and the provenance of a single species of red oak can stretch across 2,500km. The climactic conditions of the colder, northern states, with their shorter growing seasons, will produce close-grained wood with lower percentage of sapwood than the same species growing in the moist conditions of a long hot summer in the south. This, and local soil conditions, can also affect the colour of the species. Altitude also plays an extremely important role. For example the Appalachian mountain range running from New York State to Tennessee can affect growth rates and thus grain patterns as well.

Whether you are specifying red oak for a particular project or product or stocking for wholesale, it is critical that you work closely with your supplier to ensure that your needs are clear and your requirements are met. Given the abundance of this species, you should be able to find the specification you are looking for.

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