# Oak Wilt and woodworking



## Trenton Peterson (Mar 19, 2008)

I have several trees (oak) that need to come down because they have oak wilt. They could potential produce some good lumber. Can Oak trees with Wilt be used as lumber for woodworking or is just good firewood.


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## Marko (Feb 11, 2008)

Its a fungus...... and no Oaks are immune .I don't know the answer to your question but check this link out http://www.na.fs.fed.us/SPFO/pubs/fidls/oakwilt/oakwilt.htm


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## Daren (Oct 14, 2006)

It's a fungal infection of the sapwood (which is sawn off during grade sawmilling) and bark. The heartwood can still be used. It is a good idea to have them removed to stop further infestation, maybe your local extension office can give you more advice. I did not know the answer either, I had to look it up. I found a good deal of info here http://www.ipm.uiuc.edu/diseases/series600/rpd618/index.html
About 1/2 way down the page it says the trees can be used for lumber.


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## joasis (Sep 15, 2006)

It would be a good idea to have the boards kiln dried after sawing. I wouldn't use them for anything else. I talked to a guy that had several chestnut trees killed by blight, and they made great furniture wood.


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## Jack Brannon (Feb 29, 2008)

Trenton Peterson said:


> I have several trees (oak) that need to come down because they have oak wilt. They could potential produce some good lumber. Can Oak trees with Wilt be used as lumber for woodworking or is just good firewood.


If the oak trees leafed out fully in the spring, then the leaves suddenly died and turned brown while still hanging on the tree, then according to the search I did, it is caused by "Sudden Oak Death." The disease was supposedly brought into this country on Ornamental Rhododendron shipped from Germany and Hungary and was caught in California and put into quarantine. But, as is the case in so many such cases, they "accidentally" got out of quarantine and sold throughout the United States. So now, because of that "little" accident, our Oaks, especially our White Oaks, are fast dying. Anyone can do the same search as I did and maybe find out more about this "accident" that may well shove our great White Oaks, and therefore other Oaks as well, down the same path as our mighty native Chestnut trees.


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