red oak.....

[ducknutt]

lets say I was gonna make some hardwood floors outta red oak.
just about everytime it's asked, the reply is cut it green/wet.

ok, making roughly 3/4 inch thick and 3 inches wide, how should i cut the logs, as in what sizes, rough cut, and how long should I dry...

ballpark gentlemen, just looking for ballpark numbers

[Tom]

Thickness 1 1/8th
Width 4 1/2"-5"
Air dry a minimum of 10 months, machine, then stack it for 4-6 weeks where it's going to live.  It will do better if acclimated to its permanant environment.

[Bibbyman]

There is a lot of red and white oak lumber produced in Missouri that ends up as flooring.

We generally saw it 1-1/8" thick and as wide as the "sawing for grade" process will allow.

I've not been into the drying and milling process but I figure they dry it and then plane to thickness and then cut out the defect by ripping wider boards down and cutting out bad spots. I've had a tour of a cabinet components factory and that's they way they did it.

You may want to do some research over on the Drying and Processing section.

[ducknutt]

thanks gents!

[RSteiner]

A few years ago I sawed out about 2000 bf of red oak for flooring for a friend who was building a house.  He wanted it all to be 4/4 x 6".  After sending it out to have it kiln dried he did the tounge and groove profile himself and ended up with a 4 1/2" face width piece 3/4" thick.

Randy

[footer]

I agree with Bibby. You would get the most yield if you grade saw to the widest feasable pieces. Have them dried, then cut to width.