Facts
about the European oak.
Trade
Name
European oak
Family Name
Fagaceae
Common Names
Austrian oak
Chene
Common English oak
Eiche
Eik
English oak
European oak
European white oak
French oak
Penduculate
Pendunculate oak
Polish oak
Quercia
Rovere
Skogsek
Slavonian oak
Valhynian oak
Yugoslavian oak
Regions of Distribution
Africa
Eastern Europe
Mediterranean Sea Region
Oceania and S.E. Asia
Western Europe
Countries of Distribution
Austria
Czech Republic
Estonia
France
Germany
Italy
Latvia
Lithuania
Netherlands
Slovakia
United Kingdom
Yugoslavia
Common Uses
Boat building (general)
Boat building
Boat building: framing
Building materials
Cabinetmaking
Canoes
Carvings
Chairs
Chests
Coffins
Concealed parts (Furniture)
Cooperages
Decorative veneer
Desks
Dining-room furniture
Domestic flooring
Dowell pins
Dowells
Drawer sides
Exterior trim & siding
Exterior uses
Figured veneer
Fine furniture
Floor lamps
Flooring
Flooring: commercial heavy traffic
Flooring: industrial heavy traffic
Foundation posts
Furniture
Furniture components
Furniture squares or stock
Furniture
Hatracks
Heavy construction
Interior construction
Interior trim
Joinery (external): ground contact
Joinery
Kitchen cabinets
Lifeboats
Light construction
Living-room suites
Lock gates
Marine construction
Millwork
Mine timbers
Moldings
Musical instruments
Office furniture
Pallets
Paneling
Paneling
Parquet flooring
Posts
Railroad ties
Sills
Tables
Truck bodies
Turnery
Vats
Vehicle parts
Veneer
Veneer: decorative
Wheel spokes
Wheels
Environmental Profile
* Status has not been officially assessed
Distribution Overview
European oak is native to Europe, N. Africa, and W. Asia. It is more
abundant in France, Poland, Yugoslavia, and the Baltic countries.
European oak is the most common forest tree in Great Britain, especially
Wales. It is found in pure stands, and in mixed forests where it is
often the dominant species. The species has also naturalized locally
in southeastern Canada and northeastern United States, and is also
planted in the southeastern and Pacific states. The tree is cultivated
in moist soils, and is usually found along roadsides and on the edge
of forests.
Heartwood Color
** Red
** Brown
** Yellow
*********+ Brown
********* Yellow to golden-yellow to orange
** Pale brown
* Yellowish brown
* White to cream
* Light tan to deep brown
Sapwood Color
* White
********** Paler than heartwood
****** Well defined
The distinct sapwood is the same but a lighter color of the heartwood.
It is about 1 to 2 inches (2.5 to 5 cm) wide.
Grain
** Even
******** Distinct and very fine figure
****** Striped figure
***** Straight
**** Clear growth rings (figure)
** Rays figure
* Other figure
* Generally straight, but not always
Broad rays produce a silver grain figure on quarter sawn surfaces.
May be irregular or cross dependent on growing conditions.
Texture
*** Fine
****** Coarse
* Medium to coarse
Plain sawn oak exhibits a distinct growth-ring figure like other ring-porous
hardwoods.
Luster
*** Lustrous
* Slightly lustrous
Wood structure and quality are heavily influenced by growth conditions.
Typically the wood has alternating bands of large-pored early wood
and dense late wood, but timber from slow growing trees may have very
narrow late wood zones, and are therefore soft and light in weight.
Central European oak trees are reported to grow slowly and relatively
evenly and produce wood of uniform color and straight grain, while
wood from northern Europe is typically harder and tougher.
Natural Durability
* Non-resistant to marine borers
* Non-resistant to pinhole borers
* Non-resistant to termites
********* Durable
***** Very durable
**** Susceptible to attack from powder post (Lyctid & Bostrychid)
beetles
* Heartwood resistant to decay
Logs and green lumber are susceptible to attack by ambrosia beetles
(pinhole-borer). The sapwood is vulnerable to attack by powder-post
beetles and the common furniture beetle.
Odor
* No specific smell or taste
Corrosive Properties
****** Reacts with metals
Kiln Schedules
********** Dry at a slow speed
*** UK=C US=T3C2/T3C1 Fr=3
* US=T3-C2/T1-C1
* UK=C
Drying Defects
******* Moderate end spitting
****** Moderate surface checking
*** Severe collapse and honeycomb
** Moderate twist/warp
* Warping can be expected
* Slight end splitting
* Honeycombing possible
* Expect splits
* Checking
A yellow stain, which eventually disappears, is also common during
drying.
Ease of Drying
*** Rapidly
** Reconditioning Treatement
****** Difficult
* Shrinkage is high
* Dries very slowly
Subject to degrade especially during the initial drying stages
Tree Identification
** Bole/stem form is straight
Tree Size
Forest grown trees are reported to produce straight, clear boles that
are sometimes up to 50 feet (15 m) in length.
Product Sources
Supplies of the brown variety of European oak is limited since it is
in high demand for special uses and effects. Price is in the high range
when it is imported into the US. Oaks native to the United States are
usually substituted for the common type of English oak since they have
the same uses.
Availability in long lengths, wide boards and in the form of veneers
is variable on the European market. Prices are in the medium to expensive
range.
Comments
General finishing qualities are rated as good
The wood is described as acidic and may cause corrosion in some metals,
such as iron and steel, which come in contact with it. Vapors from
green material may also be very corrosive.
Blunting Effect
** Little
** Blunting effect on machining is moderate
* Moderate effect
* Blunting effect on machining is variable
Denser wood may blunt cutting tools at a more rapid rate than lighter
woods.
Boring
** Fairly easy to very easy
Carving
** Fairly Easy to Very Easy
* Fair to Good Results
Cutting Resistance
*** Easy to saw
** Cutting Resistance with green wood is easy
* Satisfactory sawing properties
* Cutting Resistance with dry wood is easy
Working properties vary with density
Gluing
*** Fair to Good Results
*** Fairly Easy to Very Easy
***** Easy to glue
* Good properties
Mortising
** Fair to Good Results
** Fairly Easy to Very Easy
Moulding
*** Fairly Easy to Very Easy
* Fair to Good Results
* Good finishing results
Movement in Service
****** Medium
* Small
* Moderate dimensional stability after seasoning
* Large
Nailing
*** Poor to Very Poor Results
** Fairly Easy to Very Easy
***** Possible if prebored
**** Holds nails well
** Difficult to nail
* Pre-boring recommended
Planing
*** Fairly Easy to Very Easy
* Fair to Good Results
* Planes to a poor finish
A reduced angle of 20 degrees is recommended in planing material containing
cross and irregular grain.
Resistance to Impregnation
*** Resistant sapwood
*** Resistant heartwood
******* Heartwood is highly resistant
***** Sapwood is permeable
Response to Hand Tools
** Responds Readily
* Easy to Work
******* Variable qualities
***** Moderate working qualities
*** Difficult to machine
* Easy to machine
Degree of difficulty in working with hand tools is reported to depend
upon the density of the wood. It ranges from medium to high.
Routing & Recessing
*** Fairly Easy to Very Easy
Sanding
*** Fairly Easy to Very Easy
** Fair to Good Results
* Very Good to Excellent Results
* Good characteristics
Screwing
** Poor to Very Poor Results
** Fairly Easy to Very Easy
*** Screwing yields good results
** Possible if prebored
* Requires pre-boring
* Holds screws firmly
* Easy to screw
Turning
*** Fairly Easy to Very Easy
* Fair to Good Results
* Responds satisfactorily
Wood working properties are reported to vary with density
Veneering Qualities
* No drying degrade. Dries flat without splitting
* Moderately easy to veneer
European oak trees stained brown by the beef-steak fungus become the
popular Brown oak. These are converted into highly decorative veneers
which have naturally stained, attractively varied colors that are impossible
to match with any artificial process
Steam Bending
***** Very good
*** Good
Wood moisture content should be reduced to 25 percent before steam
bending, since green material has a tendency to rupture on the inner
surface. The bent material should be dried slowly during the setting
period, and to prevent staining, the steamed wood should be kept away
from iron or iron compounds.
Painting
*** Good results
Polishing
*** Fair to Good Results
** Fairly Easy to Very Easy
****** Good results
* High finish
Staining
******* Reacts with Iron to discolour wood
******* Finish is generally good
* Good characteristics
Varnishing
** Good results
* Well defined
Strength Properties
*********+ Density (dry weight) = 46-52 lbs/cu. ft.
******** Modulus of Elasticity (stiffness) = low
******** Max. crushing strength = medium
******** Bending strength (MOR) = medium
****** Shearing strength (parallel to grain) = low
****** Density (dry weight) = 38-45 lbs/cu. ft.
***** Hardness (side grain) = soft
**** Shrinkage, Tangential = large
** Work to Maximum Load = very low
** Shrinkage, Tangential = very small
** Shrinkage, Radial = very small
** Shrinkage, Radial = moderate
* Toughness-Hammer drop (Impact Strength) = low
* Shrinkage, Tangential = small
* Shrinkage, Radial = small
* Shrinkage, Radial = large
* Shrinkage, Radial = fairly large
* Shearing strength (parallel to grain) = medium
* Modulus of Elasticity (stiffness) = very low
* Modulus of Elasticity (stiffness) = medium
* Max. crushing strength = low
* Heavy
* Fairly hard
* Density (dry weight) = 31-37 lbs/cu. ft.
* Dense
* Crushing strength = high
* Bending strength (MOR) = high
English brown oak is the product of trees that have been stained brown
by the beef-steak fungus (Fistulina hepatica ). Seasoning the wood
is reported to kill the fungus. This variety of English oak is highly
desired as a decorative wood for paneling and joinery.
Numerical Data
Item ------------------------------------Green ------------------------Dry
Metric
Bending Strength ------------------------617 -------------------------990
kg/cm2
Density ---------------------------------------------------------------705
kg/cm3
Hardness -------------------------------------------------------------508
kg
Impact Strength -------------------------83 --------------------------78
cm
Maximum Crushing Strength -------------268 -------------------------472
kg/cm2
Shearing Strength -----------------------------------------------------129
kg/cm2
Stiffness --------------------------------91 ---------------------------108
1000 kg/cm2
Work to Maximum Load ------------------0.49 -------------------------0.70
cm-kg/cm3
Specific Gravity -------------------------------------------------------0.65
Weight ----------------------------------689 -------------------------673
kg/cm3
Radial Shrinkage ------------------------------------------------------4
%
Tangential Shrinkage --------------------------------------------------8
%
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WCMC.
