Scarlet Oak
Quercus coccinea · Hardwood · North America
Properties
| Janka hardness | 1,400 lbf (6,227 N) |
|---|---|
| Average dried weight (est.) | 42 lb/ft³ (670 kg/m³) |
| Specific gravity | 0.67 |
| Modulus of rupture | 17,400 psi (120.0 MPa) |
| Modulus of elasticity | 1.91 million psi (13.17 GPa) |
| Crushing strength | 8,330 psi (57.4 MPa) |
| Shrinkage — radial | 4.4% |
| Shrinkage — tangential | 10.8% |
| Shrinkage — volumetric | 14.7% |
| Shrinkage T/R ratio | 2.5 |
Values at 12% moisture content, clear-wood averages. Source: USDA Forest Products Laboratory, Wood Handbook FPL-GTR-282 (2021), Table 5–3b p. 5–10; shrinkage Table 4–3 p. 4–8.
Scarlet oak is a principal species of the red oak group and the strongest wood in this set (specific gravity 0.67, Janka hardness 1,400 lbf, bending strength 17,400 psi). Like the other red oaks, its lumber is sawn and sold mixed with the group for flooring, furniture, and millwork.
Appearance & grain
Scarlet oak shares the red oak group look: a nearly white sapwood roughly 2 to 5 cm wide and heartwood that is brown with a reddish tinge. The pores stand open, with tyloses generally absent.
Durability
Not durable untreated: the Handbook states that red oak railroad ties, mine timbers, and fence posts require preservative treatment to give satisfactory service.
Workability
Red oak wood is heavy and shrinks fairly heavily as it dries, and scarlet oak is handled and seasoned with the rest of the group. Its open pores accept the preservative treatment the Handbook requires for ties, mine timbers, and fence posts.
Common uses
- Flooring
- Furniture
- General millwork
- Railroad crossties
- Mine timbers
- Fence posts
- Veneer
- Boxes
- Pallets and crates
- Caskets
- Handles
- Pulpwood
- Fuelwood
Conservation: IUCN Red List: Least Concern (checked 2026-10-24).
