Spruces
Hardness among the 3 spruces here ranges from 390 lbf (Engelmann spruce) to 530 lbf (Black spruce). The flattest-drying is Black spruce; the stiffest is Black spruce.
- All three sit in the softest quarter of the 155 woods, at 565 lbf or less.
- Density runs from a specific gravity of 0.33 in Engelmann spruce to 0.38 in black spruce.
- The stiffest is black spruce, at 1.61 million psi, 84th of all 155.
- The flattest-drying member is black spruce, at a T/R ratio of 1.66.
- 510 lbfmedian hardness
- 0.37median density
- 10,200 psimedian bending strength
- 7.1%median face shrinkage
SprucesOther woodsNorthern red oak, the usual yardstick
Ranked by hardness
Hardest first. Density is specific gravity; shrinkage is volumetric, green to oven-dry.
| # | Wood | Janka, lbf | Density | Bending, psi | Shrinkage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Black sprucePicea marianaSG 0.38 · 11.3% shrinkage | 530 | 0.38 | 10,800 | 11.3% |
| 2 | Sitka sprucePicea sitchensisSG 0.37 · 11.5% shrinkage | 510 | 0.37 | 10,200 | 11.5% |
| 3 | Engelmann sprucePicea engelmanniiSG 0.33 · 11.0% shrinkage | 390 | 0.33 | 9,300 | 11.0% |
Source: USDA Forest Products Laboratory, Wood Handbook (2010), Tables 4-3, 4-4, 5-3b and 5-5b. How we use the data · Compare or filter these woods · Guide: Hardwood vs softwood in numbers