Hemlocks
Hardness among the 3 hemlocks here ranges from 500 lbf (Eastern hemlock) to 680 lbf (Mountain hemlock). The flattest-drying is Mountain hemlock; the stiffest is Western hemlock.
- Two of the three are in the softest quarter of the 155 woods (up to 565 lbf); the rest sit in the middle half.
- Density runs from a specific gravity of 0.38 in eastern hemlock to 0.42 in mountain hemlock.
- The stiffest is western hemlock, at 1.63 million psi, 80th of all 155.
- The flattest-drying member is mountain hemlock, at a T/R ratio of 1.61.
- 540 lbfmedian hardness
- 0.42median density
- 11,300 psimedian bending strength
- 7.1%median face shrinkage
HemlocksOther 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 | Mountain hemlockTsuga mertensianaSG 0.42 · 11.1% shrinkage | 680 | 0.42 | 11,500 | 11.1% |
| 2 | Western hemlockTsuga heterophyllaSG 0.42 · 12.4% shrinkage | 540 | 0.42 | 11,300 | 12.4% |
| 3 | Eastern hemlockTsuga canadensisSG 0.38 · 9.7% shrinkage | 500 | 0.38 | 8,900 | 9.7% |
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