COLOR: Heartwood is light to dark reddish brown, lustrous; sapwood is light brown to pale with a light pinkish tone. Some flooring manufacturers steam lumber to bleed the darker heartwood color into the sapwood resulting in a more uniform color.
GRAIN: Fine. Frequently wavy. Uniform texture. Distinctive flake pattern on true quartersawn surfaces. Texture is satiny with some gum pockets.
HARDNESS (JANKA): 950; 26% softer than Northern red oak.
DIMENSIONAL STABILITY: Above average (change coefficient .00248; 33% more stable than red oak).
DURABILITY: Strong, moderately hard; excellent shock resistance. Usually considered too soft for an entire floor – mostly used for borders and accents.
IMAGE FINISH:Top portion is finished with water-base urethane; bottom with oil-modified polyurethane.
Last Updated almost 9 years
