Wood density and weight chart
At 12% moisture content, the Handbook's reference point, lignum vitae is the heaviest wood on this site at 88 lb/ft³ and balsa the lightest at 12 lb/ft³. Every figure is worked from the USDA Wood Handbook's specific gravity with its own equations.
One source: USDA Forest Products Laboratory, the authority for species properties it measured
All 93 species, heaviest first
Tap a heading to sort. Weight per board foot is for a piece 12 × 12 × 1 in (1/12 ft³); multiply by your board feet.
| Lignum vitae | 88.1 lb/ft³ | 1,412 kg/m³ | 7.34 lb | Handbook estimate (Eq. 4-13) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ipe | 69.9 lb/ft³ | 1,119 kg/m³ | 5.82 lb | from green SG and shrinkage |
| Azobe | 67.7 lb/ft³ | 1,085 kg/m³ | 5.65 lb | from green SG and shrinkage |
| Karri | 65.2 lb/ft³ | 1,045 kg/m³ | 5.44 lb | from green SG and shrinkage |
| Goncalo alves | 62.5 lb/ft³ | 1,001 kg/m³ | 5.21 lb | from green SG and shrinkage |
| Greenheart | 62.3 lb/ft³ | 998 kg/m³ | 5.19 lb | from green SG and shrinkage |
| Mora | 61.5 lb/ft³ | 985 kg/m³ | 5.12 lb | from green SG and shrinkage |
| Brazilian rosewood | 58.9 lb/ft³ | 944 kg/m³ | 4.91 lb | from green SG and shrinkage |
| Wallaba | 58 lb/ft³ | 929 kg/m³ | 4.84 lb | from green SG and shrinkage |
| Indian rosewood | 55.3 lb/ft³ | 885 kg/m³ | 4.6 lb | from green SG and shrinkage |
| Kempas | 54.4 lb/ft³ | 871 kg/m³ | 4.53 lb | from green SG and shrinkage |
| Bubinga | 54.3 lb/ft³ | 869 kg/m³ | 4.52 lb | from green SG and shrinkage |
| Jatoba | 53.7 lb/ft³ | 861 kg/m³ | 4.48 lb | from green SG and shrinkage |
| Keruing | 53.4 lb/ft³ | 855 kg/m³ | 4.45 lb | from green SG and shrinkage |
| Jarrah | 52.8 lb/ft³ | 845 kg/m³ | 4.4 lb | from green SG and shrinkage |
| Ovangkol | 50.5 lb/ft³ | 809 kg/m³ | 4.21 lb | from green SG and shrinkage |
| Hickory | 50.3 lb/ft³ | 806 kg/m³ | 4.2 lb | from 12% SG |
| Purpleheart | 49.8 lb/ft³ | 798 kg/m³ | 4.15 lb | from green SG and shrinkage |
| Peroba rosa | 49.6 lb/ft³ | 795 kg/m³ | 4.13 lb | from green SG and shrinkage |
| Kapur | 49.1 lb/ft³ | 787 kg/m³ | 4.09 lb | from green SG and shrinkage |
| Black locust | 48.2 lb/ft³ | 773 kg/m³ | 4.02 lb | from 12% SG |
| White oak | 47.5 lb/ft³ | 762 kg/m³ | 3.96 lb | from 12% SG |
| Merbau | 46.9 lb/ft³ | 752 kg/m³ | 3.91 lb | from green SG and shrinkage |
| Pecan | 46.1 lb/ft³ | 739 kg/m³ | 3.85 lb | from 12% SG |
| Afrormosia | 45.6 lb/ft³ | 730 kg/m³ | 3.8 lb | from green SG and shrinkage |
| Tanoak | 45.3 lb/ft³ | 725 kg/m³ | 3.77 lb | from green SG and shrinkage |
| Honeylocust | 44.9 lb/ft³ | 719 kg/m³ | 3.74 lb | from green SG and shrinkage |
| Beech | 44.7 lb/ft³ | 717 kg/m³ | 3.73 lb | from 12% SG |
| Hard maple | 44.1 lb/ft³ | 706 kg/m³ | 3.67 lb | from 12% SG |
| Red oak | 44.1 lb/ft³ | 706 kg/m³ | 3.67 lb | from 12% SG |
| Birch | 43.4 lb/ft³ | 694 kg/m³ | 3.61 lb | from 12% SG |
| Sapele | 42 lb/ft³ | 673 kg/m³ | 3.5 lb | from green SG and shrinkage |
| Ash | 42 lb/ft³ | 672 kg/m³ | 3.5 lb | from 12% SG |
| Southern yellow pine | 41.3 lb/ft³ | 661 kg/m³ | 3.44 lb | from 12% SG |
| Andiroba | 40.3 lb/ft³ | 645 kg/m³ | 3.36 lb | from green SG and shrinkage |
| Teak | 40.1 lb/ft³ | 643 kg/m³ | 3.35 lb | from green SG and shrinkage |
| Iroko | 39.9 lb/ft³ | 639 kg/m³ | 3.32 lb | from green SG and shrinkage |
| Ramin | 39.5 lb/ft³ | 633 kg/m³ | 3.29 lb | from green SG and shrinkage |
| Walnut | 38.5 lb/ft³ | 616 kg/m³ | 3.2 lb | from 12% SG |
| Soft maple | 37.8 lb/ft³ | 605 kg/m³ | 3.15 lb | from 12% SG |
| Hackberry | 37.1 lb/ft³ | 594 kg/m³ | 3.09 lb | from 12% SG |
| Tamarack | 37.1 lb/ft³ | 594 kg/m³ | 3.09 lb | from 12% SG |
| Sweetgum | 36.4 lb/ft³ | 582 kg/m³ | 3.03 lb | from 12% SG |
| Western larch | 36.4 lb/ft³ | 582 kg/m³ | 3.03 lb | from 12% SG |
| Avodire | 36.2 lb/ft³ | 579 kg/m³ | 3.01 lb | from green SG and shrinkage |
| Cherry | 35 lb/ft³ | 560 kg/m³ | 2.91 lb | from 12% SG |
| Elm | 35 lb/ft³ | 560 kg/m³ | 2.91 lb | from 12% SG |
| Magnolia | 35 lb/ft³ | 560 kg/m³ | 2.91 lb | from 12% SG |
| Tupelo | 35 lb/ft³ | 560 kg/m³ | 2.91 lb | from 12% SG |
| Meranti | 34.9 lb/ft³ | 559 kg/m³ | 2.91 lb | from green SG and shrinkage |
| Parana pine | 34.6 lb/ft³ | 554 kg/m³ | 2.88 lb | from green SG and shrinkage |
| Sycamore | 34.3 lb/ft³ | 549 kg/m³ | 2.86 lb | from 12% SG |
| Tornillo | 33.9 lb/ft³ | 543 kg/m³ | 2.82 lb | Handbook estimate (Eq. 4-13) |
| Douglas-fir | 33.6 lb/ft³ | 538 kg/m³ | 2.8 lb | from 12% SG |
| Mahogany | 33 lb/ft³ | 529 kg/m³ | 2.75 lb | from green SG and shrinkage |
| Eastern red cedar | 32.9 lb/ft³ | 526 kg/m³ | 2.74 lb | from 12% SG |
| Cypress | 32.2 lb/ft³ | 515 kg/m³ | 2.68 lb | from 12% SG |
| Red pine | 32.2 lb/ft³ | 515 kg/m³ | 2.68 lb | from 12% SG |
| Sassafras | 32.2 lb/ft³ | 515 kg/m³ | 2.68 lb | from 12% SG |
| Radiata pine | 31.5 lb/ft³ | 504 kg/m³ | 2.62 lb | Handbook estimate (Eq. 4-13) |
| Western hemlock | 31.5 lb/ft³ | 504 kg/m³ | 2.62 lb | from 12% SG |
| African mahogany | 31 lb/ft³ | 497 kg/m³ | 2.58 lb | from green SG and shrinkage |
| Alaska yellow cedar | 30.8 lb/ft³ | 493 kg/m³ | 2.56 lb | from 12% SG |
| Spanish cedar | 30.6 lb/ft³ | 489 kg/m³ | 2.55 lb | from green SG and shrinkage |
| American chestnut | 30.1 lb/ft³ | 482 kg/m³ | 2.51 lb | from 12% SG |
| Port Orford cedar | 30.1 lb/ft³ | 482 kg/m³ | 2.51 lb | from 12% SG |
| Cativo | 29.5 lb/ft³ | 473 kg/m³ | 2.46 lb | from green SG and shrinkage |
| Poplar | 29.4 lb/ft³ | 470 kg/m³ | 2.45 lb | from 12% SG |
| Lodgepole pine | 28.7 lb/ft³ | 459 kg/m³ | 2.39 lb | from 12% SG |
| Red alder | 28.7 lb/ft³ | 459 kg/m³ | 2.39 lb | from 12% SG |
| Limba | 28.4 lb/ft³ | 455 kg/m³ | 2.37 lb | from green SG and shrinkage |
| Cottonwood | 28 lb/ft³ | 448 kg/m³ | 2.33 lb | from 12% SG |
| Eastern hemlock | 28 lb/ft³ | 448 kg/m³ | 2.33 lb | from 12% SG |
| Ponderosa pine | 28 lb/ft³ | 448 kg/m³ | 2.33 lb | from 12% SG |
| Redwood | 28 lb/ft³ | 448 kg/m³ | 2.33 lb | from 12% SG |
| Sitka spruce | 28 lb/ft³ | 448 kg/m³ | 2.33 lb | from 12% SG |
| Spruce | 28 lb/ft³ | 448 kg/m³ | 2.33 lb | from 12% SG |
| Black willow | 27.3 lb/ft³ | 437 kg/m³ | 2.27 lb | from 12% SG |
| Fir | 27.3 lb/ft³ | 437 kg/m³ | 2.27 lb | from 12% SG |
| Aspen | 26.6 lb/ft³ | 426 kg/m³ | 2.21 lb | from 12% SG |
| Butternut | 26.6 lb/ft³ | 426 kg/m³ | 2.21 lb | from 12% SG |
| Western white pine | 26.6 lb/ft³ | 426 kg/m³ | 2.21 lb | from 12% SG |
| Jelutong | 26.4 lb/ft³ | 423 kg/m³ | 2.2 lb | from green SG and shrinkage |
| Basswood | 25.9 lb/ft³ | 414 kg/m³ | 2.16 lb | from 12% SG |
| Incense cedar | 25.9 lb/ft³ | 414 kg/m³ | 2.16 lb | from 12% SG |
| Sugar pine | 25.2 lb/ft³ | 403 kg/m³ | 2.1 lb | from 12% SG |
| Okoume | 24.8 lb/ft³ | 396 kg/m³ | 2.06 lb | from green SG and shrinkage |
| Eastern white pine | 24.5 lb/ft³ | 392 kg/m³ | 2.04 lb | from 12% SG |
| Atlantic white cedar | 22.4 lb/ft³ | 358 kg/m³ | 1.86 lb | from 12% SG |
| Western red cedar | 22.4 lb/ft³ | 358 kg/m³ | 1.86 lb | from 12% SG |
| Obeche | 22.2 lb/ft³ | 356 kg/m³ | 1.85 lb | from green SG and shrinkage |
| Northern white cedar | 21.7 lb/ft³ | 347 kg/m³ | 1.81 lb | from 12% SG |
| Balsa | 12 lb/ft³ | 192 kg/m³ | 1 lb | from green SG and shrinkage |
Not listed: Cocobolo, Ebony, Rubberwood. The Handbook publishes no specific gravity for them.
Why weight depends on moisture
Wood holds water, so the same board is heavier green than dry. The Handbook's specific gravity is the dry wood alone; density puts the water back at a chosen moisture content. These figures are at 12%. Green lumber holds far more: green white oak heartwood carries about 64% of its dry weight in water (Handbook Table 4-1).
Why these numbers?
The situation
Specific gravity comes from Wood Handbook Table 5-3b (12% MC volume) for US species. Imported woods come from its Tables 5-5b and 4-4, which the Handbook says were collected from the world literature.
One source: USDA Forest Products Laboratory, the authority for species properties it measured , sources [1]
What that means
Specific gravity is oven-dry weight over volume; density adds the water back in (Handbook Eqs. 4-9 to 4-14, water 62.43 lb/ft³).
One source: USDA Forest Products Laboratory, the authority for species properties it measured , sources [1]
The number
Density at 12% = 62.43 × specific gravity at 12% × 1.12; a board foot is 1/12 ft³.
Arithmetic: exact by definition
Sources