Scots Pine VS Paulownia
- Harder wear surface (Janka 540 vs 300 lbf)
- Stronger in bending (MOR 83.0 vs 38.0 MPa)
- Easier to machine and fasten
- Lighter (0.28 vs 0.49 g/cm³)
- Solid choice where its profile fits the project
Visual comparison
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 | Scots Pine |
| Strength (MOR) | Scots Pine |
| Stiffness (MOE) | Scots Pine |
| Flame spread | Tie |
| Machining ease | Paulownia |
| Lightness | Paulownia |
Engineering data
| Property | Scots Pine | Paulownia |
|---|---|---|
| Janka Hardness | 540WD lbf | 300WD lbf |
| Density | 0.49WD g/cm³ | 0.28WD g/cm³ |
| MOE | 10.1WD GPa | 4.38WD GPa |
| MOR | 83.0WD MPa | 38.0WD MPa |
| Durability | Class 4 Slightly Durable | Class 4 Slightly Durable |
| Stability | Excellent | Excellent |
| Fire (E84) | Class C indicative | Class C indicative |
| Radial Shrink | 5.2WD % | 2.4WD % |
| Tangential Shrink | 8.3WD % | 3.9WD % |
| T/R Ratio | 1.6 | 1.62 |
Figures carry the same source status as the species pages they come from — verified where cited, indicative where marked.
Best for
| Application | Recommended | Suitability |
|---|---|---|
| Exterior cladding | 🥇 Paulownia | ★★★☆☆ |
| Flooring / wear surfaces | 🥇 Scots Pine | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Furniture / interior joinery | 🥇 Paulownia | ★★★★★ |
| Structural / load-bearing | 🥇 Scots Pine | ★★☆☆☆ |
Advantages & limitations
Scots Pine
Advantages relative to Paulownia
- Janka is 540 lbf vs 300 lbf, about 80% harder
- MOR is 83 MPa vs 38 MPa, about 118% higher
- MOE is 10.1 GPa vs 4.4 GPa, about 130% higher
Limitations relative to Paulownia
Paulownia
Advantages relative to Scots Pine
- Density is 0.28 g/cm³ vs 0.49, about 43% lower — supporting the documented lightweight applications where low mass matters more than bending strength
Limitations relative to Scots Pine
- Janka is 300 lbf vs 540 lbf, about 44% lower
- MOR is 38 MPa vs 83 MPa, about 54% lower
- MOE is 4.4 GPa vs 10.1 GPa, about 56% lower
Recommendation
Choose Scots Pine if…
- Construction and general building, windows and doors (treated) and external joinery where the higher strength and stiffness are the specification
- Flooring, vehicle bodies, railway sleepers and telephone poles where dent resistance and load-bearing capacity are what the piece must deliver
Choose Paulownia if…
- Lighter work — surfboard and model cores, veneer and panel cores, tansu chests and light joinery, panels and mouldings — where the low weight is the working advantage, matching the timber's documented sweet spot
- Applications where the piece will not see structural loads and mass reduction is more valuable than bending strength
Frequently asked questions
Which is more durable, Scots Pine or Paulownia?
Neither — both carry the same EN 350 rating (Class 4, Slightly Durable). For outdoor work the separation is movement, not decay: Paulownia moves 3.9% tangentially against 8.3%, which decides board width and fixing spacing more than the durability class does.
Which wood is better for outdoor use?
Both are EN 350 Class 4, and tangential movement runs 8.3% for Scots Pine against 3.9% for Paulownia — close enough that decay resistance will not choose between them, and Paulownia holds its dimension marginally better. Scots Pine gives the harder wearing surface at 540 lbf; Paulownia is the lighter section at 0.28 g/cm³ — traffic favours the first, cladding and handling the second.
Is Scots Pine harder than Paulownia?
Yes — Janka 540 lbf vs 300 lbf.