OREGON STATE UNIVERSITY

Table of Relative Working and Physical Properties - Metric

Relative Working Properties

  • 1 = Fair
  • 2 = Good
  • 3 = Very Good
  • 4 = Excellent
Species
Machining
Resistance to Splitting in Nailing & Screwing
Nail and Screw Holding Ability
Gluing
Douglas-fir
2
3
3
3
Western larch
2
2
3
3
Engelmann spruce
3
4
1
4
Western hemlock
2
3
3
3
Noble fir
2
4
2
4
Grand Fir
2
4
2
4
Subalpine fir
2
4
1
4
Pacific silver fir
2
3
2
4
California red fir
2
4
2
4
Ponderosa pine
3
4
2
3
Western white pine
4
4
2
4
Sugar pine
4
4
2
3
Lodgepole pine
3
3
2
3
White spruce
2
4
2
3
Sitka spruce
3
4
2
4
Alaska yellow-cedar
4
4
2
2
Port-Orford-cedar
4
4
2
2
Incense-cedar
4
4
2
4
Western redcedar
3
3
1
4
Redwood
2
4
2
4
Western juniper
3
3
4
4
Red alder
4
3
3
4
Bigleaf maple
3
3
3
4
Oregon white oak
4
2
4
2
Tanoak
4
2
4
2
Paper birch
4
2
3
2
California black oak
4
2
4
2
Black cottonwood
2
4
1
4
Golden chinkapin
2
3
3
3
Pacific madrone
4
2
4
3
Myrtlewood
3
2
3
4

Sources:
Oregon State University, College of Forestry, Department of Wood Science & Engineering
Wood Handbook: Wood as an Engineering Material (USDA Agricultural Handbook No. 72) Prepared by: U.S. Forest Products Laboratory
Western Wood Products Association and Western Hardwood Association

Physical Properties

Species
Specific Gravity (12% MC)
Avg. Shipping Wt. (kgs/m3)
Air dry     Green
% Across the Grain Shinkage (6% MC)
Modulus of Rupture (K. Pascals)
Modulus of Elasticity (M. Pascals)
Side Hardness (Newtons)
Douglas-fir
0.48
545     689
7.6
85000
13400
3200
Western larch
0.52
577     801
9.1
90000
12900
3700
Engelmann spruce
0.35
432     577
7.1
64000
8900
1750
Western hemlock
0.45
497     657
7.8
78000
11300
2400
Noble fir
0.39
416     481
8.3
74000
11900
1800
Grand Fir
0.39
416     753
7.0
68000
10300
2100
Subalpine fir
0.32
449     721
7.5
61000
10800
2200
Pacific silver fir
0.43
432     577
9.2
73000
11900
1900
California red fir
0.38
432     769
7.9
72000
10300
2200
Ponderosa pine
0.40
449     721
6.2
65000
8900
2000
Western white pine
0.38
432     561
7.4
67000
10100
1900
Sugar pine
0.36
400     833
5.6
57000
8200
1700
Lodgepole pine
0.41
465     625
6.7
65000
9200
2100
White spruce
0.36
449     561
8.2
68000
9200
2100
Sitka spruce
0.40
449     529
7.5
78000
10800
2300
Alaska yellow-cedar
0.44
497     577
6.8
77000
9800
2600
Port-Orford-cedar
0.43
465     577
6.9
88000
11700
2800
Incense-cedar
0.37
416     721
5.2
55000
7200
2100
Western redcedar
0.32
368     432
5.0
51700
7700
1600
Redwood
(young growth)
0.35
449     801
4.7
54000
7600
1900
Western juniper
0.44
480     800
4.7
53000
6100
2800
Red alder
0.41
449     737
7.3
68000
9500
2600
Bigleaf maple
0.48
545     753
7.1
74000
10000
3800
Oregon white oak
0.72
801     1105
9.0
71000
10000
7400
Tanoak
0.66
657     993
10.0
112000
12000
6200
Paper birch
0.55
609     881
9.9
85000
11000
4000
California black oak
0.57
641     1157
6.6
60000
6800
4900
Black cottonwood
0.35
384     737
8.6
57000
8700
1600
Golden chinkapin
0.46
513     977
7.4
74000
8500
3200
Pacific madrone
0.65
721     961
11.9
72000
8500
6500
Myrtlewood
0.55
625     865
8.1
55000
6500
5600

Source:
Wood Handbook: Wood as an Engineering Material (USDA Agricultural Handbook No. 72) Prepared by: U.S. Forest Products Laboratory