Bur Oak
Quercus macrocarpa · Hardwood · North America
Properties
| Janka hardness | 1,370 lbf (6,094 N) |
|---|---|
| Average dried weight (est.) | 40 lb/ft³ (640 kg/m³) |
| Specific gravity | 0.64 |
| Modulus of rupture | 10,300 psi (71.0 MPa) |
| Modulus of elasticity | 1.03 million psi (7.10 GPa) |
| Crushing strength | 6,060 psi (41.8 MPa) |
| Shrinkage — radial | 4.4% |
| Shrinkage — tangential | 8.8% |
| Shrinkage — volumetric | 12.7% |
| Shrinkage T/R ratio | 2.0 |
Values at 12% moisture content, clear-wood averages. Source: USDA Forest Products Laboratory, Wood Handbook FPL-GTR-282 (2021), Table 5–3b p. 5–11; shrinkage Table 4–3 p. 4–8.
Bur oak is a member of the white oak group, whose heartwood pores are usually plugged with tyloses, making the wood nearly impenetrable to liquids. That is what makes the white oaks the cooperage and boat-planking oaks.
Appearance & grain
White oak sapwood is nearly white and narrow, about 2 to 5 cm wide, and the heartwood is generally grayish brown.
Durability
Heartwood has good resistance to decay.
Workability
White oak wood is somewhat heavier than red oak, and high-quality stock is sought after for tight cooperage and for ship and boat planking and bent parts, where the heartwood's decay resistance is often specified.
Common uses
- Tight cooperage
- Ship and boat planking
- Flooring
- Furniture
- Railroad crossties
- Mine timbers
- Fence posts
- Veneer
- Doors
- Millwork
- Pallets
Conservation: IUCN Red List: Least Concern (checked 2026-10-24).
Work with Bur Oak
Similar woods
Photo: Chris Light · CC BY-SA 4.0 (source)
Property data: USDA Forest Products Laboratory, Wood Handbook — Wood as an Engineering Material, FPL-GTR-282 (2021).