U.S. hardwoods: hardness, density and shrinkage

Ranked by hardness

Hardest first. Density is specific gravity; shrinkage is volumetric, green to oven-dry.

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#	Wood	Janka, lbf	Density	Bending, psi	Shrinkage
1	Pignut hickoryCarya glabraSG 0.66 · 17.9% shrinkage	2,140	0.66	20,100	17.9%
2	Mockernut hickoryCarya tomentosaSG 0.64 · 17.8% shrinkage	1,970	0.64	19,200	17.8%
3	Shagbark hickoryCarya ovataSG 0.64 · 16.7% shrinkage	1,880	0.64	20,200	16.7%
4	Shellbark hickoryCarya laciniosaSG 0.62 · 19.2% shrinkage	1,810	0.62	18,100	19.2%
5	Black locustRobinia pseudoacaciaSG 0.66 · 10.2% shrinkage	1,700	0.66	19,400	10.2%
6	HoneylocustGleditsia triacanthosSG 0.60 · 10.8% shrinkage	1,580	0.60	14,700	10.8%
7	Pin oakQuercus palustrisSG 0.58 · 14.5% shrinkage	1,510	0.58	14,000	14.5%
8	Sweet birchBetula lentaSG 0.60 · 15.6% shrinkage	1,470	0.60	16,900	15.6%
9	Willow oakQuercus phellosSG 0.56 · 18.9% shrinkage	1,460	0.56	14,500	18.9%
10	Sugar mapleAcer saccharumSG 0.56 · 14.7% shrinkage	1,450	0.56	15,800	14.7%
11	Scarlet oakQuercus coccineaSG 0.60 · 14.7% shrinkage	1,400	0.60	17,400	14.7%
12	Bur oakQuercus macrocarpaSG 0.58 · 12.7% shrinkage	1,370	0.58	10,300	12.7%
13	Post oakQuercus stellataSG 0.60 · 16.2% shrinkage	1,360	0.60	13,200	16.2%
14	White oakQuercus albaSG 0.60 · 16.3% shrinkage	1,360	0.60	15,200	16.3%
15	Rock elmUlmus thomasiiSG 0.57 · 14.9% shrinkage	1,320	0.57	14,800	14.9%
16	White ashFraxinus americanaSG 0.55 · 13.3% shrinkage	1,320	0.55	15,000	13.3%
17	American beechFagus grandifoliaSG 0.56 · 17.2% shrinkage	1,300	0.56	14,900	17.2%
18	Northern red oakQuercus rubraSG 0.56 · 13.7% shrinkage	1,290	0.56	14,300	13.7%
19	Yellow birchBetula alleghaniensisSG 0.55 · 16.8% shrinkage	1,260	0.55	16,600	16.8%
20	Swamp chestnut oakQuercus michauxiiSG 0.60 · 16.4% shrinkage	1,240	0.60	13,900	16.4%
21	Black oakQuercus velutinaSG 0.56 · 15.1% shrinkage	1,210	0.56	13,900	15.1%
22	Laurel oakQuercus laurifoliaSG 0.56 · 19.0% shrinkage	1,210	0.56	12,600	19.0%
23	Green ashFraxinus pennsylvanicaSG 0.53 · 12.5% shrinkage	1,200	0.53	14,100	12.5%
24	Overcup oakQuercus lyrataSG 0.57 · 16.0% shrinkage	1,190	0.57	12,600	16.0%
25	Water oakQuercus nigraSG 0.56 · 16.1% shrinkage	1,190	0.56	15,400	16.1%
26	Black mapleAcer nigrumSG 0.52 · 14.0% shrinkage	1,180	0.52	13,300	14.0%
27	Oregon ashFraxinus latifoliaSG 0.50 · 13.2% shrinkage	1,160	0.50	12,700	13.2%
28	Chestnut oakQuercus prinusSG 0.57 · 16.4% shrinkage	1,130	0.57	13,300	16.4%
29	Southern red oakQuercus falcataSG 0.52 · 16.1% shrinkage	1,060	0.52	10,900	16.1%
30	Southern magnoliaMagnolia grandifloraSG 0.46 · 12.3% shrinkage	1,020	0.46	11,200	12.3%
31	Black walnutJuglans nigraSG 0.51 · 12.8% shrinkage	1,010	0.51	14,600	12.8%
32	Black cherryPrunus serotinaSG 0.47 · 11.5% shrinkage	950	0.47	12,300	11.5%
33	Red mapleAcer rubrumSG 0.49 · 12.6% shrinkage	950	0.49	13,400	12.6%
34	Paper birchBetula papyriferaSG 0.48 · 16.2% shrinkage	910	0.48	12,300	16.2%
35	HackberryCeltis occidentalisSG 0.49 · 13.8% shrinkage	880	0.49	11,000	13.8%
36	Water tupeloNyssa aquaticaSG 0.46 · 12.5% shrinkage	880	0.46	9,600	12.5%
37	Slippery elmUlmus rubraSG 0.48 · 13.8% shrinkage	860	0.48	13,000	13.8%
38	Bigleaf mapleAcer macrophyllumSG 0.44 · 11.6% shrinkage	850	0.44	10,700	11.6%
39	Black ashFraxinus nigraSG 0.45 · 15.2% shrinkage	850	0.45	12,600	15.2%
40	SweetgumLiquidambar styracifluaSG 0.46 · 15.8% shrinkage	850	0.46	12,500	15.8%
41	American elmUlmus americanaSG 0.46 · 14.6% shrinkage	830	0.46	11,800	14.6%
42	Black tupeloNyssa sylvaticaSG 0.46 · 14.4% shrinkage	810	0.46	9,600	14.4%
43	American sycamorePlatanus occidentalisSG 0.46 · 14.1% shrinkage	770	0.46	10,000	14.1%
44	CucumbertreeMagnolia acuminataSG 0.44 · 13.6% shrinkage	700	0.44	12,300	13.6%
45	Silver mapleAcer saccharinumSG 0.44 · 12.0% shrinkage	700	0.44	8,900	12.0%
46	Red alderAlnus rubraSG 0.37 · 12.6% shrinkage	590	0.37	9,800	12.6%
47	American chestnutCastanea dentataSG 0.40 · 11.6% shrinkage	540	0.40	8,600	11.6%
48	Yellow-poplarLiriodendron tulipiferaSG 0.40 · 12.7% shrinkage	540	0.40	10,100	12.7%
49	ButternutJuglans cinereaSG 0.36 · 10.6% shrinkage	490	0.36	8,100	10.6%
50	Eastern cottonwoodPopulus deltoidesSG 0.37 · 13.9% shrinkage	430	0.37	8,500	13.9%
51	American basswoodTilia americanaSG 0.32 · 15.8% shrinkage	410	0.32	8,700	15.8%
52	Black cottonwoodPopulus trichocarpaSG 0.31 · 12.4% shrinkage	350	0.31	8,500	12.4%
53	Quaking aspenPopulus tremuloidesSG 0.35 · 11.5% shrinkage	350	0.35	8,400	11.5%

Source: USDA Forest Products Laboratory, Wood Handbook (2010), Tables 4-3 and 5-3b. How we use the data · Compare or filter these woods · Guide: Hardwood vs softwood in numbers