Red oak is probably the most used American hardwood species that is meant to be finished rather than painted. This species from the eastern half of the US features a straight, coarse grain with an uneven texture. It features large pours throughout and doesn’t share the durability normally attributed to its distant cousin, white oak. Red oak is generally available in both common (knotty) grades, as well as FAS (clear), but is also offered in flat, quartered, and rift sawn configurations. The latter two variations allow for an abundance of ray flecks to be seen on the surface. Flat sawn pieces will have the traditional cathedral shaped grain the oak family is known for, while the straight grain, quartered and rift varieties offer a uniform appearance and greater strength and seasonal stability at a higher cost. Red oak has been used extensively in building throughout time. It has been used in millworks, cabinetry, flooring, and furniture. Red oak weighs 3.4 pounds per board foot, and has a Janka hardness of 1220.
VARIATIONS AND OPTIONS
4/4 refers to lumber that was cut at 1 inch thickness
15/16ths has been skip planed (a majority of the surfacing work has been done, there may be a few spots that are still rough, but the grain of the particular piece of wood should be visible)
13/16ths is commonly called finish planed. This should be ready for sanding and finish
Ripped 1 edge is lumber that has been run through a straight-line rip saw. This allows for easy squaring on a table saw.
Sanded refers to a select few lumber options that have been run through a belt sander and are 100% finish ready.
5/4 lumber was sawn at 1.25 inches in thickness.
6/4 lumber was sawn at 1.5 inches in thickness.
8/4 lumber was sawn at 2 inches in thickness.
10/4 lumber was sawn at 2.5 inches in thickness.
12/4 lumber was sawn at 3 inches in thickness.