Colour/Appearance:

Heartwood is a light to medium brown, commonly with an olive cast. Nearly white to light brown sapwood is not always sharply demarcated from the heartwood. Conversely, Red Oak tends to be slightly redder, but is by no means a reliable method of determining the type of oak.

Grain/Texture:

Grain is straight, with a coarse, uneven texture.

Rot Resistance:

Rated as very durable; frequently used in boatbuilding.

Workability:

Produces good results with hand and machine tools. Has moderately high shrinkage values, resulting in mediocre dimensional stability, especially in flatsawn boards. Glues, stains, and finishes well.

Odor:

Has a tell-tale smell that is common to most oaks. Most find it appealing.

Sustainability:

This wood species is not listed in the CITES Appendices or on the IUCN Red List of Threatened species.