Tensile Strength of Common Wood Types
The tensile strength of wood can vary significantly among different wood species and depends on factors such as grain orientation and moisture content. Generally, woods with a higher density and a tighter grain pattern tend to have a higher tensile strength.
The following table provides a comprehensive list of tensile strength values for different types of wood at 12% moisture content.
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| Ash (black) | 4.8 |
| Ash (green) | 4.8 |
| Ash (white) | 6.5 |
| Aspen (quaking) | 1.8 |
| Basswood (American) | 2.4 |
| Beech (American) | 7 |
| Birch (sweet) | 6.6 |
| Birch (yellow) | 6.3 |
| Butternut | 3 |
| Cedar (northern white) | 1.7 |
| Cedar (southern white) | 1.5 |
| Cedar (western red) | 1.5 |
| Cherry (black) | 3.9 |
| Chestnut (American) | 3.2 |
| Cottonwood (black) | 2.3 |
| Cottonwood (eastern) | 4 |
| Douglas fir (coast) | 2.3 |
| Elm (American) | 4.6 |
| Elm (slippery) | 3.7 |
| Fir (balsam) | 1.2 |
| Fir (California red) | 2.7 |
| Fir (white) | 2.1 |
| Hemlock (western) | 2.3 |
| Larch (western) | 3 |
| Locust (black) | 4.4 |
| Locust (honey) | 6.2 |
| Magnolia (cucumber tree) | 4.6 |
| Magnolia (Southern) | 5.1 |
| Maple (bigleaf) | 3.7 |
| Maple (black) | 4.6 |
| Maple (silver, creek) | 3.4 |
| Oak (bur) | 4.7 |
| Oak (laurel) | 5.4 |
| Oak (northern red) | 5.5 |
| Oak (pin) | 7.2 |
| Oak (post) | 5.4 |
| Oak (scarlet) | 6 |
| Oak (swamp chestnut) | 4.8 |
| Oak (swamp white) | 5.7 |
| Oak (white) | 5.5 |
| Pine (eastern white) | 2.1 |
| Pine (jack) | 2.9 |
| Pine (lobolly) | 3.2 |
| Pine (longleaf) | 3.2 |
| Pine (ponderosa) | 2.9 |
| Pine (red) | 3.2 |
| Pine (shortleaf) | 3.2 |
| Poplar (yellow) | 3.7 |
| Redwood (young growth) | 1.7 |
| Spruce (red) | 2.4 |
| Spruce (white) | 2.5 |
| Sycamore | 5 |
| Tamarack | 2.8 |
| Tupelo (black) | 3.4 |
| Walnut (black) | 4.8 |
These values are approximate and can vary depending on the specific species, moisture content, and the direction of grain.
Related Tables
References: 1) Forest Products Laboratory. Wood Handbook: Wood as an Engineering Material. United States: USDA, 2010.