Color: Sapwood is gray-white; heartwood is salmon red to orange-brown when fresh, and becomes russet or reddish brown when seasoned; often marked with dark streaks.

Grain: Mostly interlocked; texture is medium to rather coarse.

Variations Within Species & Grades: Moderate to high color variation.

Hardness/Janka: 2350; 82% harder than Northern Red Oak.

Durability: Dense and very strong.

Sawing/Machining: Sawing is difficult due to high density; requires frequent resharpening of tools. Planing is difficult due to interlocking grain. Can be machined to a smooth surface. Carbide tooling recommended.

Sanding: Sands well.

Nailing: Good holding ability, but due to hardness may require adjustment of angle of penetration and/or height.

Finishing: No known problems.