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Wood Density Database

Oven-dry specific gravity and density (kg/m³) for 60 commercial timber species. Sortable and searchable — click any column header to rank.

60Species
0.61Avg specific gravity
1.05Densest (Lignum Vitae)
0.28Lightest (Paulownia)

Density is the single best predictor of a wood's strength, hardness, and weight. Specific gravity (SG) compares oven-dry wood mass to the mass of an equal volume of water; multiply by 1000 for approximate dry density in kg/m³. Higher density generally means greater strength and screw-holding, but also more weight and slower drying.

60 species
Species Specific Gravity Density kg/m³ Hardness Origin
Lignum VitaeGuaiacum officinale1.051050HardOther
African BlackwoodDalbergia melanoxylon0.98980MediumAfrica
Ipe LapachoHandroanthus serratifolius0.92920HardSouth America
EbonyDiospyros ebenum0.90900MediumIndia and South Asia
CumaruDipteryx odorata0.87870MediumSouth America
MassarandubaManilkara bidentata0.85850MediumSouth America
BangkiraiShorea laevis0.85850MediumSE Asia and Pacific
Spotted GumCorymbia citriodora0.85850MediumAustralia
JarrahEucalyptus marginata0.82820MediumAustralia
WengeMillettia laurentii0.80800MediumAfrica
BalauShorea spp.0.78780MediumSE Asia and Pacific
Indian RosewoodDalbergia latifolia0.75750MediumIndia and South Asia
Shisham SissooDalbergia sissoo0.75750MediumIndia and South Asia
SalShorea robusta0.74740MediumIndia and South Asia
MerbauIntsia bijuga0.74740MediumSE Asia and Pacific
GarapaApuleia leiocarpa0.72720MediumSouth America
KeruingDipterocarpus spp.0.69690MediumSE Asia and Pacific
NeemAzadirachta indica0.68680MediumIndia and South Asia
Thermowood Oak ThermoDQuercus robur0.68680MediumThermowood Finland EU
European BeechFagus sylvatica0.68680MediumEurope
European OakQuercus robur0.67670MediumEurope
Burma Teak Premium GradeTectona grandis0.66660MediumIndia and South Asia
Thermowood Ash ThermoDFraxinus excelsior0.66660MediumThermowood Finland EU
Hard MapleAcer saccharum0.63630MediumNorth America
Thermowood Birch ThermoDBetula pubescens0.62620MediumThermowood Finland EU
Yellow BirchBetula alleghaniensis0.62620MediumNorth America
SapeleEntandrophragma cylindricum0.62620MediumAfrica
Silver BirchBetula pendula0.61610MediumEurope
Bamboo Structural EngineeredBambusa / Dendrocalamus spp.0.60600MediumIndia and South Asia
White AshFraxinus americana0.60600MediumNorth America
Thermowood Siberian Larch ThermoDLarix sibirica0.59590MediumThermowood Finland EU
Sweet ChestnutCastanea sativa0.56560MediumEurope
TeakTectona grandis0.55550MediumIndia and South Asia
Rubber WoodHevea brasiliensis0.55550SoftIndia and South Asia
Thermowood Larch ThermoDLarix decidua0.55550MediumThermowood Finland EU
Black WalnutJuglans nigra0.55550MediumNorth America
European LarchLarix decidua0.55550MediumEurope
IrokoMilicia excelsa0.55550MediumAfrica
Meranti Red LauanShorea spp.0.52520MediumSE Asia and Pacific
African MahoganyKhaya ivorensis0.52520MediumAfrica
Mango WoodMangifera indica0.51510MediumIndia and South Asia
Accoya Acetylated Radiata PinePinus radiata0.51510MediumThermowood Finland EU
Southern Yellow PinePinus spp. (P. palustris, P. taeda)0.51510MediumNorth America
Thermowood Radiata Pine ThermoDPinus radiata0.50500MediumThermowood Finland EU
American CherryPrunus serotina0.50500MediumNorth America
Scots PinePinus sylvestris0.49490MediumEurope
Deodar CedarCedrus deodara0.48480MediumIndia and South Asia
Thermowood Pine ThermoDPinus sylvestris0.48480SoftThermowood Finland EU
Douglas FirPseudotsuga menziesii0.48480MediumNorth America
Kail Blue PinePinus wallichiana0.45450SoftIndia and South Asia
Thermowood Spruce ThermoDPicea abies0.45450MediumThermowood Finland EU
Hem-FirTsuga / Abies spp.0.45450SoftNorth America
Western HemlockTsuga heterophylla0.45450MediumNorth America
Norway SprucePicea abies0.43430SoftEurope
Spruce-Pine-Fir SPFPicea / Pinus / Abies spp.0.42420MediumNorth America
Hinoki CypressChamaecyparis obtusa0.42420SoftOther
Thermowood Western Red Cedar ThermoDThuja plicata0.38380MediumThermowood Finland EU
Sugi Japanese CedarCryptomeria japonica0.38380SoftOther
Western Red CedarThuja plicata0.32320SoftNorth America
PaulowniaPaulownia tomentosa0.28280MediumOther
How to use this: For weight estimates, multiply density (kg/m³) by your timber volume in m³. A 0.1 m³ teak beam (SG 0.55) weighs roughly 55 kg dry; the same beam in balsa would be a fraction of that. Remember these are oven-dry figures — timber in service carries moisture that adds weight.

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