WOOD SPECIES · Hardwood
European oak: density, weight and properties
Quercus robur, Quercus petraea
European oak (Quercus robur) averages 740 kg/m³ at 12% moisture content, according to CIRAD’s Tropix database. The figures below are averages for clear, mature wood; individual boards vary with origin, growth and moisture.
Key figures
- Density at 12% moisture
- 740 kg/m³Average for mature wood; varies with origin and growth
- Monnin hardness at 12%
- 4.2French surface-hardness index; not convertible to Janka
- Bending strength (modulus of rupture)
- 105 MPa
- Stiffness (modulus of elasticity)
- 13,300 MPa
- Compression parallel to grain
- 58 MPa
- Tangential shrinkage, green to oven-dry
- 9.7%
- Radial shrinkage, green to oven-dry
- 4.5%
- Fibre saturation point
- 31%
Weight at 12% moisture content
Volume × 740 kg/m³, the same calculation as the weight calculator. Green or wet wood weighs considerably more.
| Piece | Size | Weight |
|---|---|---|
| 1 cubic metre | 1,000 × 1,000 × 1,000 mm | 740 kg |
| 1 board foot | 12 × 12 × 1 in | 1.75 kg |
| 1×4 board, 8 ft | 3/4 × 3 1/2 in actual × 8 ft | 3.06 kg |
| 1×6 board, 8 ft | 3/4 × 5 1/2 in actual × 8 ft | 4.8 kg |
| 2×4 board, 8 ft | 1 1/2 × 3 1/2 in actual × 8 ft | 6.11 kg |
| 2×6 board, 10 ft | 1 1/2 × 5 1/2 in actual × 10 ft | 12 kg |
Movement across the width
How much a board 11 1/4 in (286 mm) wide changes when its moisture content moves by a few percentage points. The estimate uses the total shrinkage above and a linear relation below the fibre saturation point of 31% (Wood Handbook Eq. 4-9). Flat-sawn boards move with tangential shrinkage, quartersawn boards with radial shrinkage.
| Moisture change | Flat-sawn | Quartersawn |
|---|---|---|
| 3 percentage points | 2.7 mm (0.106 in) | 1.2 mm (0.049 in) |
| 6 percentage points | 5.4 mm (0.211 in) | 2.5 mm (0.098 in) |
Wood movement across the grain · Moisture content and acclimatising wood
Natural durability
Durability of the heartwood against wood-decay fungi: class 2 on the EN 350 scale from 1 (very durable) to 5 (not durable), as reported by Tropix. The rating applies to heartwood only.
Working and finishing
Tropix recommends pilot holes for nails and screws. The wood is dense, slightly acidic and rich in tannins: it can stain during gluing, fasteners can corrode in damp conditions, and tannin run-off can mark surfaces when poorly dried wood is exposed without a finish.
Typical uses
- Fine furniture and cabinetmaking
- Flooring
- Interior stairs
- Exterior joinery (windows and doors)
- Interior joinery and millwork
- Sliced veneer
- Cooperage (barrels)
- Turnery
Calculate with this material
Species with similar density
- White oak 761.6 kg/m³
- European beech 710 kg/m³
- Hard maple (sugar maple) 705.6 kg/m³
Sources & references
Uses and working notes summarise the cited source. Check the moisture content, grade and origin of the wood you actually buy.