Home / Wood Compare / Sal vs European Oak
Professional Comparison · Verified Engineering Data · Updated 19 July 2026
Sal VS European Oak
Which wood is better for your project? Scores are computed from the verified figures on each species page — how we score.
🥇
Sal
71/100 Library Score
🪵Hardwood🌧Outdoor💧Moisture Stable
- Harder wear surface (Janka 1340 vs 1120 lbf)
- Stronger in bending (MOR 112.0 vs 97.1 MPa)
🥈
European Oak
59/100 Library Score
🪵Hardwood🌧Outdoor💧Moisture Stable
- Easier to machine and fasten
- Lighter (0.67 vs 0.74 g/cm³)
- Solid choice where its profile fits the project
Visual comparison
SalEuropean Oak
Winner by category
There isn't one universally best wood — there's a best wood for each purpose.
| Category | Winner |
|---|---|
| Durability | Tie |
| Stability | Tie |
| Hardness | Sal |
| Strength (MOR) | Sal |
| Stiffness (MOE) | Sal |
| Flame spread | Tie |
| Machining ease | European Oak |
| Lightness | European Oak |
Engineering data
| Property | Sal | European Oak |
|---|---|---|
| Janka Hardness | 1340 lbf | 1120WD lbf |
| Density | 0.74 g/cm³ | 0.67WD g/cm³ |
| MOE | 14.2 GPa | 10.6WD GPa |
| MOR | 112.0 MPa | 97.1WD MPa |
| Durability | Class 2 Durable | Class 2 Durable |
| Stability | Good | Good |
| Fire (E84) | Class B indicative | Class B indicative |
| Radial Shrink | 4 % | 4.7WD % |
| Tangential Shrink | 7.5 % | 8.4WD % |
| T/R Ratio | 1.88 | 1.79 |
Figures carry the same source status as the species pages they come from — verified where cited, indicative where marked.
Best for
| Application | Recommended | Suitability |
|---|---|---|
| Outdoor decking / pergola | 🥇 Sal | ★★★★☆ |
| Exterior cladding | 🥇 European Oak | ★★★☆☆ |
| Flooring / wear surfaces | 🥇 Sal | ★★★☆☆ |
| Furniture / interior joinery | 🥇 European Oak | ★★★☆☆ |
| Structural / load-bearing | 🥇 Sal | ★★★★☆ |
Advantages & limitations
Sal
Advantages
- Rated for exterior exposure (EN 350 Class 2)
Limitations
- Hard on tooling; pre-drilling recommended
- Heavy — consider structure and handling
European Oak
Advantages
- Rated for exterior exposure (EN 350 Class 2)
Limitations
- Few practical drawbacks within its intended uses
Recommendation
Choose Sal if…
- The surface takes traffic or impact
Choose European Oak if…
- Ease of working and fastening matters
- Weight matters — ceilings, wall panels, transport
- Its profile matches the application better than a single overall score
Frequently asked questions
Which is more durable, Sal or European Oak?
Neither — both carry the same EN 350 rating (Class 2, Durable). For outdoor decisions between them, weigh dimensional stability and hardness instead.
Which wood is better for outdoor use?
They are closely matched outdoors — durability and stability come out almost level. Let the application decide: harder surface for decking traffic, lighter weight for cladding.
Is Sal harder than European Oak?
Yes — Janka 1340 lbf vs 1120 lbf.
How we score. Each wood gets a weighted composite of the verified figures shown above: durability 22%, stability 18%, hardness 12%, bending strength 12%, machining ease 12%, stiffness 8%, flame spread 8%, lightness 8%. The Library Score is that composite's percentile rank within our 60-species library — 50 means the library median, 90 means it outperforms nine of every ten species we cover. No price data is scored — cost guidance is qualitative. The score summarises the data; it does not replace judgement about your specific application.