White Oak TMT (Thermally modified)
Heat-treated state
Pick for exterior cladding, decking and wet-service parts where dimensional stability and decay resistance beat raw strength.
Values for the TMT condition
Other White Oak tempers and conditions
White Oak is listed in 4 conditions; see the grade overview at White Oak.
Compare all 4 conditionsHide
| Condition · open for datasheet | Best for | Yield MPa | Tensile MPa | Elong. % | Hardness | Conductivity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Freshly sawn, MC above fibre saturation | Pick for steam bending, wet cooperage stock, or timber-frame work that will season in place. | — | 60 | 2 | — | 0.31 W/m·K |
TMTThis page Thermally modified | Pick for exterior cladding, decking and wet-service parts where dimensional stability and decay resistance beat raw strength. | — | 70 | 0.7 | — | 0.14 W/m·K |
KD12Default KD 12 % MC | Default engineering condition — all handbook strength values are quoted here; use for flooring, joinery and exterior millwork. | — | 100 | 1.2 | — | 0.17 W/m·K |
KD 6–8 % MC | Pick for heated interiors, veneered panels and cabinetwork where dimensional stability matters most. | — | 108 | 1 | — | 0.15 W/m·K |
What is White Oak TMT?
White Oak TMT is White Oak heat treated to TMT — pick for exterior cladding, decking and wet-service parts where dimensional stability and decay resistance beat raw strength. White Oak TMT has a tensile strength of 70 MPa (10.2 ksi), stronger than 67% of natural material grades. Elongation at break is 0.7% and the elastic modulus is 11.5 GPa (1.67 Msi). White Oak TMT has a density of 0.69 g/cm³ (0.0249 lb/in³), heavier than 51% of natural material grades. KD12 is the default condition FabDigit quotes; TMT is available on request or by drawing note.
Advantages
- Good corrosion resistance — 75/100, better than 81% of natural material grades
- High service temperature — 120°C (248 °F), better than 79% of natural material grades
Limitations
- Low fracture toughness — 0.4 MPa·√m (0.364 ksi·√in), worse than 86% of natural material grades
- Limited ductility — 0.7%, worse than 82% of natural material grades
White Oak TMT properties
Typical room-temperature values for White Oak TMT; 13 are specific to this condition. Other listed values are White Oak reference data and may not represent this condition. Bars are the position among natural material grades.
Physical2
White Oak TMT has a density of 0.69 g/cm³ (0.0249 lb/in³), heavier than 51% of natural material grades.
Mechanical10
White Oak TMT has a tensile strength of 70 MPa (10.2 ksi), stronger than 67% of natural material grades. Elongation at break is 0.7% and the elastic modulus is 11.5 GPa (1.67 Msi).
Thermal5
White Oak TMT is rated for continuous service to 120°C (248 °F). It conducts heat at 0.14 W/m·K (0.0809 BTU/hr·ft·°F), worse than 51% of natural material grades. Thermal expansion is 4 µm/m·K (2.22 µin/in·°F).
Electrical2
White Oak TMT is an electrical insulator with a dielectric strength of 5 kV/mm (127 V/mil) and a resistivity of 1×10¹⁰ Ω·m.
Chemical & Environmental1
Corrosion resistance is very good (75/100), better than 81% of natural material grades.
Sustainability4
Producing a kilogram of White Oak TMT takes about 11 MJ of energy and emits 0.45 kg of CO₂ — more than 56% of natural material grades. Typical recycled content is 5%.
Manufacturability2
White Oak TMT's machinability is very good (72/100, worse than 60% of natural material grades).
Values are nominal handbook figures for design screening. Confirm any required mill or lot documentation when quoting.
Working with White Oak TMT
Is White Oak easy to machine?
Cuts and turns well with carbide tooling at moderate feed, but silica/tannin content dulls HSS quickly and ring-porous grain tears out — use sharp 20–25° rake knives and back-up on cross-cuts.
Can White Oak be welded?
Not weldable; joined by PVA/PUR/epoxy adhesive or mechanical joinery — bond within hours of surfacing since tannin-rich, oily faces reduce glue wetting.
Can White Oak be formed, bent or molded?
Excellent steam-bending timber (green or freshly steamed at ~100 °C, 1 h per 25 mm); air-dry only after clamping to a form, and allow ~10 % tangential / 5 % radial shrinkage green-to-oven-dry.
What surface finishes work on White Oak?
Sands to 180–220 grit and takes stain, oil and film finishes well; fill the open earlywood pores for gloss, and use stainless or hot-dip galvanized fasteners since iron reacts with tannin to leave black stains.
White Oak chemical composition (wt %)
Limits by weight percent from the governing specification, written the way the spec states them — a single maximum for impurities, a range for alloying elements, and the base element as balance. Nominal is the typical mid-range value.
| Element | Spec limit (wt %) | Nominal |
|---|---|---|
| celluloseoven-dry basis | 42 – 47 | 45 |
| hemicellulosepentosan-rich in hardwood | 19 – 26 | 22 |
| ligninsyringyl/guaiacyl hardwood lignin | 21 – 27 | 24 |
| extractives (tannins, ellagitannins)source of iron staining and cooperage flavour | 3 – 10 | 6 |
| ashmainly Ca, K | 0.2 – 0.8 | 0.4 |
| moisturedefault condition = 12 % MC; not part of oven-dry balance | balance | — |
White Oak TMT — frequently asked
What is White Oak TMT used for?
White Oak TMT is typically used for furniture, flooring, cabinetry, wine/whiskey barrels and boat building. In short: rot-resistant structural hardwood; best steam-bending hardwood; liquid-tight cooperage timber.
What is the tensile strength of White Oak TMT?
White Oak TMT has a typical tensile strength of 70 MPa (10.2 ksi) — stronger than 67% of natural material grades. Strength varies by condition: see the 4 listed tempers.
Is White Oak TMT easy to machine?
Yes — machinability is rated very good (72/100, worse than 60% of natural material grades). Cuts and turns well with carbide tooling at moderate feed, but silica/tannin content dulls HSS quickly and ring-porous grain tears out — use sharp 20–25° rake knives and back-up on cross-cuts.
Can White Oak TMT be welded?
Not weldable; joined by PVA/PUR/epoxy adhesive or mechanical joinery — bond within hours of surfacing since tannin-rich, oily faces reduce glue wetting.
What surface finishes work on White Oak TMT?
Sands to 180–220 grit and takes stain, oil and film finishes well; fill the open earlywood pores for gloss, and use stainless or hot-dip galvanized fasteners since iron reacts with tannin to leave black stains.
Can White Oak TMT be formed, bent or molded?
Excellent steam-bending timber (green or freshly steamed at ~100 °C, 1 h per 25 mm); air-dry only after clamping to a form, and allow ~10 % tangential / 5 % radial shrinkage green-to-oven-dry.
What is the maximum service temperature of White Oak TMT?
White Oak TMT is rated for continuous use to about 120°C (248 °F). Strength falls off well before that limit — check the elevated-temperature data for load-bearing parts.
Sources
- Wood Handbook — Wood as an Engineering Material, FPL-GTR-282 — USDA Forest Products Laboratory (2021)
- ASTM D143 — Standard Test Methods for Small Clear Specimens of Timber — ASTM International (2022)
- ASTM D2555 — Establishing Clear Wood Strength Values — ASTM International (2017)
- Ansys Granta EduPack / CES natural materials records — oak — Ansys Granta (2023)
- AHEC American Hardwood Species Guide — American White Oak — American Hardwood Export Council (2022)
Property data is compiled from published supplier and standards handbooks and normalised for comparison. Nothing on this page is a certification — request mill certs, CoC or material test reports with your order.