Wood Species Guide
Cherrybark Oak
Quercus pagoda (formerly Quercus falcata var. pagodifolia)
Also called: Swamp Red Oak, Bottomland Red Oak, Pagoda Oak, Red Oak (in the lumber trade)
About the name “Cherrybark Oak”
Cherrybark oak was long treated as a variety of southern red oak and is still sometimes listed that way. Its bark looks like black cherry bark, which is where the name comes from; it has no relation to cherry wood.
What Cherrybark Oak looks like
Light to medium reddish brown heartwood with pale sapwood, close to northern red oak in tone.
Grain and texture
Coarse, open grain. Bottomland trees grow tall and straight, so the lumber is often long and clear.
Working Cherrybark Oak: planing, cutting and gluing
Hard, heavy and strong for a red oak, yet it machines, sands and glues well. Its long, clear boards make it a favorite of Southern mills.
Finishing Cherrybark Oak: oil, film finishes and epoxy
Stains evenly and takes all common finishes. Use a grain filler for a smooth top, and seal coat before epoxy so the open pores don't bubble.
Durability, stability and Florida humidity
Not decay resistant. Movement is moderate to large. In Florida, acclimate the lumber in air conditioning and finish both faces.
Shop notes from our Fort Myers shop
Cherrybark oak is considered the best of the Southern red oaks, heavy and strong with long clear boards. It is sold as red oak, so you may already have used it without knowing. Big straight logs give good table slabs. We don't stock it, but ask us and we can often source it.
Common uses for Cherrybark Oak
Furniture, cabinets, flooring, millwork, veneer and construction lumber.
Sustainability and CITES status
Not listed in the CITES Appendices. Common in Southern bottomland forests and not threatened.
Safety and toxicity
- Skin irritation
- Eye irritation
- Respiratory / asthma
- Sensitizer (allergy builds with exposure)
Oak dust often irritates eyes, skin and airways, and some people become allergic with repeated exposure. Long, heavy exposure to fine oak dust is linked to nasal cancer.
- In the shop
- Dust collection + mask or respirator when sanding; gloves if your skin reacts
- Food contact
- Not recommended for cutting boards, bowls and utensils
General information, not medical advice. See a doctor if you have a reaction.
Oak dust is a common irritant for eyes, skin and the nose and throat, and some woodworkers develop an allergy after repeated exposure. Collect dust at the source and wear a mask or respirator.
Cherrybark Oak in stock now
Ask us. We can often source it.
We don't have Cherrybark Oak listed online right now, but new slabs and lumber come in all the time and not everything makes it to the website. Tell us what you're building and we'll check our racks and suppliers.
Similar woods: Oaks
- Red OakIn stockQuercus rubra (lumber often includes other red oak group species) Red oak is the familiar, hard-wearing hardwood behind generations of American floors and cabinets. In slab form it...
- White OakIn stockQuercus alba (lumber often includes other white oak group species) White oak is the strong, water-resistant oak behind whiskey barrels, wooden boats and Mission furniture. Its warm golden...
- Black OakQuercus velutina Black oak is a common eastern red oak that is sold as red oak lumber. Its inner bark...
- Bur OakQuercus macrocarpa Bur oak is the big-acorn white oak of the prairie states, hard, heavy and rot resistant. Most of...
- Chestnut OakQuercus montana (syn. Quercus prinus) Chestnut oak is the white oak of rocky Appalachian ridges, named for leaves that look like chestnut leaves....
- European OakQuercus robur and Quercus petraea European oak is the white oak of Europe's forests and cathedrals, sold as English, French or Slavonian oak....