Strength Properties of Commercially Important Woods


The table below provides laboratory-derived values for several mechanical properties of wood that are associated with wood strength. Note that due to sampling inadequacies, these values may not necessarily represent average species characteristics.

Source: U.S. Forest Products Laboratory

Tree Species Average Specific Gravity, Oven Dry  Sample Static Bending Modulus of Elasticity (E) Impact Bending, Height of Drop Causing Failure Compress. Parallel to Grain, Max Crushing Strength Compress. Perpen.  to Grain, Fiber Stress at Prop. Limit Shear Parallel to Grain, Max Shear Strength
(0-1.0) 10^6 psi inches psi psi psi

U. S. Hardwoods
Alder, Red 0.41 1.38 20 5,820 440 1,080
Ash, Black 0.49 1.60 35 5,970 760 1,570
Ash, Blue 0.58 1.40 - 6,980 1,420 2,030
Ash, Green 0.56 1.66 32 7,080 1,310 1,910
Ash, Oregon 0.55 1.36 33 6,040 1,250 1,790
Ash, White 0.60 1.74 43 7,410 1,160 1,910
Aspen, Bigtooth 0.39 1.43 - 5,300 450 1,080
Aspen, Quaking 0.38 1.18 21 4,250 370 850
Basswood 0.37 1.46 16 4,730 370 990
Beech, American 0.64 1.72 41 7,300 1,010 2,010
Birch, Paper 0.55 1.59 34 5,690 600 1,210
Birch, Sweet 0.65 2.17 47 8,540 1,080 2,240
Birch, Yellow 0.62 2.01 55 8,170 970 1,880
Butternut 0.38 1.18 24 5,110 460 1,170
Cherry, Black 0.50 1.49 29 7,110 690 1,700
Chestnut, American 0.43 1.23 19 5,320 620 1,080
Cottonwood, Balsam Poplar 0.34 1.1 - 4,020 300 790
Cottonwood, Black 0.35 1.27 22 4,500 300 1,040
Elm, Eastern 0.40 1.37 20 4,910 380 930
Elm, American 0.50 1.34 39 5,520 690 1,510
Elm, Rock 0.63 1.54 56 7,050 1,230 1,920
Elm, Slippery 0.53 1.49 45 6,360 820 1,630
Hackberry 0.53 1.19 43 5,440 890 1,590
Hickory, Bitternut 0.66 1.79 66 9,040 1,680 -
Hickory, Nutmeg 0.6 1.70 - 6,910 1,570 -
Hickory, Pecan 0.66 1.73 44 7,850 1,720 2,080
Hickory, Water 0.62 2.02 53 8,600 1,550 -
Hickory, Mockernut 0.72 2.22 77 8,940 1,730 1,740
Hickory, Pignut 0.75 2.26 74 9,190 1,980 2,150
Hickory, Shagbark 0.72 2.16 67 9,210 1,760 2,430
Hickory, Shellbark 0.69 1.89 88 8,000 1,800 2,110
Honeylocust - 1.63 47 7,500 1,840 2,250
Locust, Black 0.69 2.05 57 10,180 1,830 2,480
Magnolia,Cucumbertree 0.48 1.82 35 6,310 570 1,340
Magnolia, Southern 0.50 1.40 29 5,460 860 1,530
Maple, Bigleaf 0.48 1.45 28 5,950 750 1,730
Maple, Black 0.57 1.62 40 6,680 1,020 1,820
Maple, Red 0.54 1.64 32 6,540 1,000 1,850
Maple, Silver 0.47 1.14 25 5,220 740 1,480
Maple, Sugar 0.63 1.83 39 7,830 1,470 2,330
Oak, Black 0.61 1.64 41 6,520 930 1,910
Oak, Cherrybark 0.68 2.28 49 8,740 1,250 2,000
Oak, Laurel 0.63 1.69 39 6,980 1,060 1,830
Oak, Northern Red 0.63 1.82 43 6,760 1,010 1,780
Oak, Pin 0.63 1.73 45 6,820 1,020 2,080
Oak, Scarlet 0.67 1.91 53 8,330 1,120 1,890
Oak, Southern Red 0.59 1.49 26 6,090 870 1,390
Oak, Water 0.63 2.02 44 6,770 1,020 2,020
Oak, Willow 0.69 1.90 42 7,040 1,130 1,650
Oak, Bur 0.64 1.03 29 6,060 1,200 1,820
Oak, Chestnut 0.66 1.59 40 6,830 840 1,490
Oak, Live 0.88 1.98 - 8,900 2,840 2,660
Oak, Overcup 0.63 1.42 38 6,200 810 2,000
Oak, Post 0.67 1.51 46 6,600 1,430 1,840
Oak, Swamp Chestnut 0.67 1.77 41 7,270 1,110 1,990
Oak, Swamp White 0.72 2.05 49 8,600 1,190 2,000
Oak, White 0.68 1.78 37 7,440 1,070 2,000
Sassafras 0.46 1.12 - 4,760 850 1,240
Sweetgum 0.52 1.64 32 6,320 620 1,600
Sycamore, American 0.49 1.42 26 5,380 700 1,470
Tupelo, Black 0.50 1.20 22 5,520 930 1,340
Tupelo, Water 0.50 1.26 23 5,920 870 1,590
Walnut, Black 0.55 1.68 34 7,580 1,010 1,370
Willow, Black 0.39 1.01 - 4,100 430 1,250
Yellow-poplar 0.42 1.58 24 5,540 500 1,190
U. S. Softwoods
Baldcypress 0.46 1.44 24 6,360 730 1,000
Cedar, Alaska 0.44 1.42 29 6,310 620 1,130
Cedar, Atlantic White 0.32 0.93 13 4,700 410 800
Cedar, Eastern Redcedar 0.47 0.88 22 6,020 920 -
Cedar, Incense 0.37 1.04 17 5,200 590 880
Cedar, Northern White 0.31 0.80 12 3,960 310 850
Cedar, Port-Orford 0.43 1.70 28 6,250 720 1,370
Cedar, Western Redcedar 0.32 1.11 17 4,560 460 990
Douglas-fir, Coast 0.48 1.95 31 7,230 800 1,130
Douglas-fir, Interior West 0.50 1.83 32 7,430 760 1,290
Douglas-fir, Interior North 0.48 1.79 26 6,900 770 1,400
Douglas-fir, Interior South 0.46 1.49 20 6,230 740 1,510
Fir, Balsam 0.35 1.45 20 5,280 404 944
Fir, California Red 0.38 1.50 24 5,460 610 1,040
Fir, Grand 0.37 1.57 28 5,290 500 900
Fir, Noble 0.39 1.72 23 6,100 520 1,050
Fir, Pacific silver 0.43 1.76 24 6,410 450 1,220
Fir, Subalpine 0.32 1.29 - 4,860 390 1,070
Fir, White 0.39 1.50 20 5,800 530 1,100
Hemlock, Eastern 0.40 1.20 21 5,410 650 1,060
Hemlock, Mountain 0.45 1.33 32 6,440 860 1,540
Hemlock, Western 0.45 1.63 23 7,200 550 1,290
Larch, western 0.52 1.87 35 7,620 930 1,360
Pine, Eastern white 0.35 1.24 18 4,800 440 900
Pine, Jack 0.43 1.35 27 5,660 580 1,170
Pine, Loblolly 0.51 1.79 30 7,130 790 1,390
Pine, Lodgepole 0.41 1.34 20 5,370 610 880
Pine, Longleaf 0.59 1.98 34 8,470 960 1,510
Pine, Pitch 0.52 1.43 - 5,940 820 1,360
Pine, Pond 0.56 1.75 - 7,540 910 1,380
Pine, Ponderosa 0.40 1.29 19 5,320 580 1,130
Pine, Red 0.46 1.63 26 6,070 600 1,210
Pine, Sand 0.48 1.41 - 6,920 836 -
Pine, Shortleaf 0.51 1.75 33 7,270 820 1,390
Pine, Slash 0.59 1.98 - 8,140 1,020 1,680
Pine, Spruce 0.44 1.23 - 5,650 730 1,490
Pine, Sugar 0.36 1.19 18 4,460 500 1,130
Pine, Virginia 0.48 1.52 32 6,710 910 1,350
Pine, Western white 0.38 1.46 23 5,040 470 1,040
Redwood, Old-growth 0.40 1.34 19 6,150 700 940
Redwood, Young-growth 0.35 1.10 15 5,220 520 1,110
Spruce, Black 0.42 1.61 23 5,960 550 1,230
Spruce, Engelmann 0.35 1.30 18 4,480 410 1,200
Spruce, Red 0.40 1.61 25 5,540 550 1,290
Spruce, Sitka 0.40 1.57 25 5,610 580 1,150
Spruce, White 0.36 1.43 20 5,180 430 970
Tamarack 0.53 1.64 23 7,160 800 1,280