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Blunting Effect Boring Comments Common Names Common Uses Countries of Distribution Distribution Overview Drying Defects Ease of Drying Environmental Profile Family Name Gluing Grain Heartwood Color Kiln Schedules Mortising Movement in Service Nailing Natural Durability Numerical Data Odor Planing Product Sources References Regions of Distribution Resistance to Impregnation Response to Hand Tools Sanding Sapwood Color Scientific Name Screwing Staining Steam Bending Texture Trade Name Tree Size Turning		Scientific Name Quercus chrysolepis Trade Name Canyon live oak Family Name Fagaceae Common Names Canyon live oak, Canyon oak, Goldcup oak Regions of Distribution North America Countries of Distribution  [VIEW MAP] United States Common Uses Farm vehicles, Wheels Environmental Profile Status has not been officially assessed Distribution Overview Canyon live oak occurs from south-western Oregon, south through the Coastal Ranges and Sierra Nevada to southern California. It is also found in localized areas in western Nevada and in western and central Arizona. The tree usually grows in pure stands and mixed forests in canyons and sandy, gravelly, and rocky slopes. It grows at elevations of 1000 to 6500 feet (305 to 1981 m) in most areas, and at 5500 to 7500 feet (1676 to 2286 m) in Arizona. Heartwood Color Brown Red Purple Pink Pinkish to light reddish brown or light brown. The wood may also show a pronounced cast of flesh color Sapwood Color Brown White Pink Red Grey Whitish to grayish brown Pink to pale reddish brown Grain Even Usually straight Open because of the porous nature of the wood. Plainsawn red oak lumber usually has a plumed or flared grain appearance, while riftsawn boards exhibit a tighter grain pattern and low figuring. Quartersawn red oak boards often have a flaked pattern which is sometimes referred to as tiger rays or butterflies, although the figure is not as prominent as in the white oaks. Variation in color and grain is often pronounced and is dependent upon the origin of the wood and prevailing growing conditions. Red oaks from upland areas tend to grow more slowly, and generally have a more uniform grain pattern than lowland red oaks Texture Texture is largely dependent upon growth rate. Slow growing Red oak from the north parts of its range are often generally less coarse-textured than their faster-grown counterparts from the southern states Natural Durability Heartwood has low natural resistance to decay and wood destroying organisms It is inferior to white oak with respect to this property Odor Has an odor No specific smell or taste Kiln Schedules US=T3-B1 Drying Defects Internal Honeycombing Possible Ring Shakes Collapse Discoloration Ring failure Honeycombing possible Defects include:uneven moisture, chemical stains, iron stains, and are attributable to wetwood (usually in old growth) Defects found in both upland and lowland red oak Upland red oak is also prone to collapse Ease of Drying Moderately Difficult to Difficult End coating is recommended to prevent excessive checking Difficult Since shrinkage tends to be above average piles should be weighted down during air-seasoning to prevent degrade, especially in members in the upper layers Tree Size Tree height is 10-20 m Tree height is 20-30 m Considered to be the most beautiful of the California oaks, this evergreen tree is reported to produce a short trunk, with large spreading, horizontal branches, and a broad, rounded crown Product Sources Although the primary sources of commercial American red oak are northern red oak (Q. rubra) and southern red oak (Q. falcata), various species in the red oak class are mixed and marketed together without distinction. Supplies of red oak are plentiful, and the species is one of the most commonly available domestic hardwoods. Oak in general, and particularly red oak, dominates as the most popular timber for furniture, followed by cherry, pine, mahogany, ash, pecan, hard maple, and walnut. Red oak is also a popular export to other countries, and is one of the most popular American oaks used in Europe. Comments Oaks are classified into two main groups: red oaks and white oaks, although members within each group may be similar, they do not have the same characteristics and may differ significantly. The Red oak group is plentiful in eastern Canada and the United States. The name Red oak is used in reference to several similar oaks which include American red oak or Northern red oak (Q. rubra ), Southern red oak, Spanish oak, Swamp red oak, or Cherrybark oak (Q. falcata ), Shumard oak, Pin oak (Q. palustris ), Nuttal oak (Q. nuttallii ), Scarlet oak (Q. coccinea ), Canyon live oak (Q. chrysolepis ), and sometimes Black oak (Q. velutina ). Red oaks are often described as beautiful because of grain pattern and character. They tend to be plainer in appearance than white oaks because of their smaller rays, and they are not as water-tight as white oaks due to their open pores. The two groups are comparable in strength, and they are both used in steam bending applications. Red oaks tend to be less resistant to decay than white oaks or European oaks. Also, red oak acorns are reported to taste more bitter than white oak acorns Blunting Effect Moderate Moderate dulling effect on cutting edges Boring Fairly easy to very easy Very good to excellent results Very good results Bored surfaces usually clean Gluing Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Satisfactory gluing properties Mortising Very Good to Excellent Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Mortising is very easy Mortise finishing is very good Movement in Service Fair to Good Stability - Medium Movement Moderate dimensional stability after seasoning Medium Nailing Fair to Good Results Very Good to Excellent Results Pre-boring recommended Planing Fairly Easy to Very Easy Very Good to Excellent Results Fair to Good Results Response to machining operations is reasonable, despite the hardness of red oaks Resistance to Impregnation Resistant sapwood Resistant heartwood Response to preservative treatment is reported to range from moderate to easy. Response to Hand Tools Responds Readily Easy to Work Works well with hand tools Sanding Responds very well to preservative treatment Screwing Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Good screwing properties Turning Very Good to Excellent Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Very good Steam Bending Very Good to Excellent Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Red oak timbers are commonly used in steam bending applications Staining Very Good to Excellent Results Open grain allows great flexibilty in the selection of finishes for red oaks. A darker stain preceded by a light filler is reported to produce the popular lime appearance. The wood can also be treated with ammonia to produce an almost black 'Jacobean' finish because of the high tannin content. Ray pattern on quarter-sawn boards can also yield a truly unique look. Tip: To avoid conspicuous differences in stained, edge-glued members, separate quarter-sawn and flat-sawn boards and use one consistently for a given project Numerical Data Item Green Dry English References S.J. and R.W. Hess. 1943. Timbers of the New World. Published on the Charles Lathrop Pack Foundation, Yale University Press, New Haven CT. Little, E.L. 1980. The Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Trees - Western Region. Published by Arthur A. Knopf, New York.