Weird 'Oak' Sleepers

[wills-mill]

Just wondering what your thoughts are on some of the commercially available Oak sleepers that are doing the rounds. Mainly regarding what species they are...

 

I've seen some in fencing yards recently that really don't look much like Q robur and I think are European (possibly from high altitude, dry climate, Turkey Oak a possibility??). Others have definitely been called Canadian Oak, so wondering if they are an American White or Red Oak....?

 

Admittedly they are a cheap bulk product sold to be plopped into place for planters and retaining walls, but I wonder how some of them are going to last long term. Any experiences and thoughts?

[se7enthdevil]

any pictures?

[wills-mill]

Nothing that I've taken I'm afraid. Found this one, it's not a brilliant bit of detail, but the end grain has a whiff of something strange about it? Some of the Oak that comes off really dry acidic heathland looks a bit like that.

 

http://www.uksleepers.co.uk/UserFiles/productImages/untreated-rustic-oak.jpg

[spiral]

Turkey oak, big rays, wide sapwood, really cheap to buy..

[Jim B]

The photo has a fairly wide consistent ring width. I'm guessing it's southern French oak (sessile I would guess as it can grow faster). We have a lot of sleepers in the builders merchants here far cheaper than I can even buy the tree! As for red oak and turkey both are shocking out doors rotting within five years. But red oak is often the oak flooring in diy stores and is used a lot in America for timber framing (same strength as English/white oak). Turkey oak is used extensively in the med particularly for boat building hence being brought here but rots in our humidity.

[gobbypunk]

Hi guys I reckon its french , I collected some for a matey and couldnt belive how cheep it was , my matey had some left over so I made a coffee table out of it , its quite hard and ok to work with , I will take some pics on friday when I am next in my workshop

Cheers Mark

[Goaty]

Turkey oak. Quercus cherries if I'm on the same page, is an impressive tree, however I understand it twists and cracks a lot drying and isn't good for firewood.

Never used or dealt with it myself..

[Jim B]

Turkey oak. Quercus cherries if I'm on the same page, is an impressive tree, however I understand it twists and cracks a lot drying and isn't good for firewood.

Never used or dealt with it myself..

 

It's good for firewood burns hot but takes at least two years when split to get down to 25% and must be kept dry as turns to pulp.

[devon TWiG]

I have shifted around quite a few loads of sleepers in recent years and virtually all are ring shaken Sweet Chestnut .

[spiral]

If you go to an importers, the cheapest oak sleepers {by far.} are Turkey oak....

 

Imported from sunny south eastern Europe...