Turkey Oak: Affordable Alternative to European Oak Structural Timber?
When we think of oak structural timber, European oak often comes to mind first. But there is an alternative currently attracting attention due to its lower price – Turkey oak, also known as moss oak. Let’s take a closer look at this wood species.
What is Quercus Cerris?
Quercus Cerris, better known as Turkey oak, is indeed related to the European oak, but they are far from identical. When freshly sawn, the wood often has a pinkish glow reminiscent of red American oak. The wood grows considerably faster than European oak.
Where does it grow?
This wood is primarily found in Southeast Europe, particularly in countries such as Ukraine, Romania, and the Balkan countries. Currently, it is regularly supplied from Romania in standard timber dimensions. The wood is also available with the FSC label.
Hardness vs. Durability
Although Turkey oak is hard, this certainly does not mean that it is more durable than European oak. It is fast-growing and has durability class 3; therefore, it is advisable to avoid ground contact. Above ground, it has comparable durability to European oak, provided proper detailing is used in outdoor applications. However, the sapwood is very susceptible to both drywood and wetwood borers. Therefore, try to source wood that is as sapwood-free as possible.
Drying problems
Turkey oak dries very slowly and shrinks more during drying, making it significantly more susceptible to cracking. As a result, it is not suitable for wide oak planks or dimensions thinner than 80mm. Consequently, it is also unsuitable for furniture wood, window wood, or door frames.
Application in parquet is possible due to the hardness, provided it is properly dried and only in small dimensions.
The favorable offers in DIY stores for solid oak parquet in the 15x120mm size are often Turkey oak. Thanks to the hardness of the wood, it can be used as parquet, but only in smaller dimensions and well-dried. Also pay attention to the finish to avoid problems. If treated with a water-based lacquer, the wood grain will raise significantly, making it difficult to achieve a smooth finish.
Scent
Depending on the growing area, freshly sawn Turkey oak can sometimes have an unpleasant, pungent odor, which, however, disappears after drying.
Applications of Turkey Oak
Due to the aforementioned properties, Turkey oak is particularly suitable for simple timber constructions, temporary structures, and applications where a more rustic appearance is desired.
Whereas with European oak primarily the second and third sections of the trunk are used for structural timber, with Turkey oak the base of the trunk is also used for beams, and it is available in heavy dimensions. Please ensure that the trunks are selected for straight grain to prevent twisting during drying.
Fresh wood is significantly cheaper directly from the sawmill (do take transport costs into account) and is available with the FSC label and other wood certifications.
Turkey oak can certainly play a role as structural timber, especially given the current scarcity and price of European oak. One could also say that too much high-quality European oak is being used for low-value applications.
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