a) General description : Varies in colour from pale yellow-brown to biscuit with a pinkish tint, similar to European oak. Straight grain, with the characteristic silver grain on quartered material. Appalachian oak is slow grown producing lightweight, mild wood, but southern states produce fast grown oak with wide growth rings, and a harder, tougher timber. Medium to coarse textured.
b) Mechanical properties: The wood has medium bending and crushing strengths with low stiffness, which makes it an excellent steam bending material. .
c) Seasoning : Dries relatively slowly with a tendency to check, split and honeycomb, and requires careful handling for air drying and kilning. There is medium movement in service.
b) Mechanical properties: The material has low bending and crushing strength, with very low stiffness and resistance to shock loads. Steam bending classification is very poor.
c) Seasoning: Thin stock dries readily with little degrade, but thicker sizes tend to hold moisture at the centre and care is needed to avoid internal honey combing and collapse. This is especially true of UK timber. There is small movement in service.
d) Working properties: The wood works easily with hand and machine tools, with little blunting effect on cutters. Nailing properties are good. It screws well and takes stain and polish
satisfactorily. Its acidic properties cause corrosion of metals and black stain in the timber.
e) Durability : The material is durable. Standing trees liable to attack by the Western Cedar borer and seasonal timber liable to attack by common furniture beetle. Resistant to preservative treatment.
f) Uses: Glass house and shed construction, shingles, interior finishing, exterior boarding and cladding, beehive construction, poles, posts and fences.
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