Northern Red Oak wood movement, board-foot & weight calculator
- Janka
- 1,290lbf
- Density
- 44lb/ft³
- T/R ratio
- 2.2
- Spec. gravity
- 0.63
Northern Red Oak is a North American hardwood. It has a Janka side hardness of 1,290 lbf, a specific gravity of 0.63, and an air-dry density near 44 lb/ft³ (705 kg/m³) (mechanical values at 12% moisture content). It shrinks 8.6% tangentially and 4% radially from green to oven-dry (T/R ratio 2.2), so a 12-inch flatsawn board moves about 0.21 in (≈ 7/32 in) across a 6-point moisture swing (about 6%→12% MC).
Compute Northern Red Oak: movement, weight & board footage
Every number below is worked from Northern Red Oak's own shrinkage and density figures, not looked up from a table — change the width, moisture swing, or board size in the calculators linked alongside.
Cross-grain movement by board width
| Board width | Flatsawn (tangential) | Quartersawn (radial) |
|---|---|---|
| 2″ | 0.034″ (≈ 1/32 in) | 0.016″ (≈ 1/32 in) |
| 3″ | 0.052″ (≈ 1/16 in) | 0.024″ (≈ 1/32 in) |
| 4″ | 0.069″ (≈ 1/16 in) | 0.032″ (≈ 1/32 in) |
| 6″ | 0.103″ (≈ 3/32 in) | 0.048″ (≈ 1/16 in) |
| 8″ | 0.138″ (≈ 1/8 in) | 0.064″ (≈ 1/16 in) |
| 10″ | 0.172″ (≈ 3/16 in) | 0.08″ (≈ 3/32 in) |
| 12″ | 0.206″ (≈ 7/32 in) | 0.096″ (≈ 3/32 in) |
| 16″ | 0.275″ (≈ 9/32 in) | 0.128″ (≈ 1/8 in) |
Need a different width or moisture swing? Run the movement calculator preloaded with Northern Red Oak. At a T/R ratio of 2.15, Northern Red Oak is moderately unstable — it moves substantially more tangentially than radially, so flatsawn stock is noticeably cup-prone and quartersawn stock is worth the extra cost in wide panels.
Board footage & weight, standard sizes
| Nominal size × length | Board feet | Weight |
|---|---|---|
| 1×4 × 8′ | 2.67 bd ft | 9.8 lb |
| 1×6 × 8′ | 4 bd ft | 14.7 lb |
| 1×8 × 8′ | 5.33 bd ft | 19.6 lb |
| 1×10 × 8′ | 6.67 bd ft | 24.4 lb |
| 1×12 × 8′ | 8 bd ft | 29.3 lb |
| 2×4 × 8′ | 5.33 bd ft | 19.6 lb |
| 2×6 × 8′ | 8 bd ft | 29.3 lb |
| 2×8 × 8′ | 10.67 bd ft | 39.1 lb |
Different length or size? Run the board foot calculator or the weight calculator, both preloaded with Northern Red Oak.
Seasonal movement by city
| City | Driest month (EMC) | Most-humid month (EMC) | EMC swing | 12″ board movement |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Phoenix, AZ | Jun · 4.4% | Dec · 9% | 4.6 pts | 0.158″ (≈ 5/32 in) |
| Chicago, IL | May · 12.3% | Dec · 15.1% | 2.8 pts | 0.096″ (≈ 3/32 in) |
| Miami, FL | Apr · 12.2% | Sep · 14.4% | 2.2 pts | 0.076″ (≈ 1/16 in) |
| Boston, MA | Apr · 11.5% | Sep · 12.8% | 1.3 pts | 0.045″ (≈ 1/32 in) |
| Denver, CO | Jul · 8% | Dec · 10.5% | 2.5 pts | 0.086″ (≈ 3/32 in) |
| Seattle, WA | Jul · 12% | Dec · 16.9% | 4.9 pts | 0.169″ (≈ 5/32 in) |
Driven by Northern Red Oak's tangential shrinkage of 8.6%. These are outdoor equilibrium-moisture figures, so they are an upper bound — a climate-controlled interior swings less. How this is calculated.
How Northern Red Oak compares
Ranked against the 196 species in the Wood Handbook tables this site carries.
- Hardness: at 1,290 lbf, Northern Red Oak is harder than 66% of the 157 species with a Janka figure.
- Weight: at 44 lb/ft³ it is heavier than 68% of the 170 species measured — an 8-foot 1×6 board weighs about 14.7 lb.
- Stability: its T/R ratio of 2.15 is more even than 21% of the 196 species here — as humidity changes, 79% of them hold their shape more evenly.
See Northern Red Oak plotted against every species we carry: the full Janka hardness chart and the full density chart .
Species with a similar working profile
Closest matches on hardness, weight and stability together — useful when Northern Red Oak is unavailable or priced out.
- American Beech is a common substitute for Northern Red Oak : nearly identical hardness, about the same weight, and similarly stable in service.
- Sugar Maple is a common substitute for Northern Red Oak : 12% harder, about the same weight, and similarly stable in service.
- Afrormosia is a common substitute for Northern Red Oak : 21% harder, about the same weight, and similarly stable in service.
- Bur Oak is a common substitute for Northern Red Oak : nearly identical hardness, about the same weight, and similarly stable in service.
| Species | Janka | Density | T/R |
|---|---|---|---|
| American Beech | 1,300 lbf | 44.7 | 2.16 |
| Sugar Maple | 1,450 lbf | 44 | 2.06 |
| Afrormosia | 1,560 lbf | 42.6 | 2.13 |
| Bur Oak | 1,370 lbf | 44.7 | 2 |
About Northern Red Oak
The Wood Handbook describes Northern Red Oak as part of the Oak (Red Oak Group); the account below is of that group, which Northern Red Oak belongs to.
Most red oak comes from the Eastern States. The principal species are northern red (Quercus rubra), scarlet (Q. coccinea), Shumard (Q. shumardii), pin (Q. palustris), Nuttall (Q. nuttallii), black (Q. velutina), southern red (Q. falcata), cherrybark (Q. falcata var. pagodaefolia), water (Q. nigra), laurel (Q. laurifolia), and willow (Q. phellos) oak. The sapwood is nearly white and roughly 2 to 5 cm (1 to 2 in.) wide. The heartwood is brown with a tinge of red. Sawn lumber of the red oak group cannot be separated by species on the basis of wood characteristics alone. Red oak lumber can be separated from white oak by the size and arrangement of pores in latewood and because it generally lacks tyloses in the pores. The open pores of red oak make this species group unsuitable for tight cooperage, unless the barrels are lined with sealer or plastic. Quartersawn lumber of the oaks is distinguished by its broad and conspicuous rays. Wood of the red oaks is heavy. Rapidly grown second- growth wood is generally harder and tougher than finer textured old-growth wood. The red oaks have fairly high shrinkage upon drying. The red oaks are primarily cut into lumber, railroad crossties, mine timbers, fence posts, veneer, pulpwood, and fuelwood. Ties, mine timbers, and fence posts require preservative treatment for satisfactory service. Red oak lumber is remanufactured into flooring, furniture, general millwork, boxes, pallets and crates, agricultural implements, caskets, wooden ware, and handles. It is also used in railroad cars and boats.
Durability & sustainability
CITES status: not listed on any CITES Appendix — no international-trade restriction applies to Northern Red Oak.
Properties
| Specific gravity | 0.63 |
|---|---|
| Janka hardness (side) | 1,290 lbf |
| Density (air-dry, 12% MC) | 44 lb/ft³ (705 kg/m³) ovendry-weight basis: 39.3 lb/ft³ |
| Weight per board foot (air-dry) | 3.67 lb |
| Radial shrinkage (green→oven-dry) | 4% |
| Tangential shrinkage (green→oven-dry) | 8.6% |
| Volumetric shrinkage (green→oven-dry) | 13.7% |
| T/R ratio (stability indicator) | 2.2 |
Shrinkage is total green-to-oven-dry (Table 4-3); strength values are at 12% MC. Full bases and the derivation formulas are on the methodology page.
Data: USDA Forest Products Laboratory, Wood Handbook FPL-GTR-282 (2021), public domain.