American White Oak
US hardwood lumber exports to Australia increased by 22% in 2023 to a value of US$21million according to data from the United States Department of Agriculture. Source: Timberbiz
While American white oak continues to dominate, its lesser-known cousin, American red oak, has shown extraordinary growth over the 12-month period.
In 2023 Australia imported nearly 9000 cubic metres of red oak which is the most abundant species in the American hardwood forest. Readily available, and of a consistently high quality, red oak has similar characteristics to white oak in terms of strength and stability, but its more open grain means it is more suitable for staining which makes it a more versatile choice.
“We’ve had a significant amount of interest in red oak from the savvier specifiers in Australia recently,” Regional Director for the American Hardwood Export Council Rod Wiles said.
The American Hardwood Export Council is an international trade association for the US hardwood industry, representing exporters among US hardwood companies and all the major US.
AHEC runs a worldwide program to promote American hardwoods in more than 50 export markets, concentrating on providing architects, specifiers, designers, and end-users with technical information on the range of species, products and sources of supply. In addition, AHEC also produces a full range of technical publications.
“They recognise its quality and value and have anticipated the shift in demand resulting from the changes in native logging that came into force this year.”
The new figures also show growth for other underutilised but available species including American cherry and American maple which have seen volume increase by 650% and 110% respectively.
“Australia and New Zealand remain important markets for us,” Mr Wiles said.
“Not only does the demand continue to be strong but the importers, manufacturers, designers and architects are very sophisticated in their understanding and use of different species.
“They appreciate the advantages and limitations and also value the strong and proven environmental credentials of US hardwoods. We are delighted that our industry can supply raw materials that meet their exacting needs.”
