U.S. softwoods: 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	Longleaf pinePinus palustrisSG 0.54 · 12.2% shrinkage	870	0.54	14,500	12.2%
2	Western larchLarix occidentalisSG 0.48 · 14.0% shrinkage	830	0.48	13,000	14.0%
3	Virginia pinePinus virginianaSG 0.45 · 11.9% shrinkage	740	0.45	13,000	11.9%
4	Douglas-fir (Coast)Pseudotsuga menziesiiSG 0.45 · 12.4% shrinkage	710	0.45	12,400	12.4%
5	Loblolly pinePinus taedaSG 0.47 · 12.3% shrinkage	690	0.47	12,800	12.3%
6	Shortleaf pinePinus echinataSG 0.47 · 12.3% shrinkage	690	0.47	13,100	12.3%
7	Mountain hemlockTsuga mertensianaSG 0.42 · 11.1% shrinkage	680	0.42	11,500	11.1%
8	Douglas-fir (Interior West)Pseudotsuga menziesiiSG 0.46 · 11.8% shrinkage	660	0.46	12,600	11.8%
9	Port-Orford-cedarChamaecyparis lawsonianaSG 0.39 · 10.1% shrinkage	630	0.39	12,700	10.1%
10	Douglas-fir (Interior North)Pseudotsuga menziesiiSG 0.45 · 10.7% shrinkage	600	0.45	13,100	10.7%
11	TamarackLarix laricinaSG 0.49 · 13.6% shrinkage	590	0.49	11,600	13.6%
12	Yellow-cedarChamaecyparis nootkatensisSG 0.42 · 9.2% shrinkage	580	0.42	11,100	9.2%
13	Jack pinePinus banksianaSG 0.40 · 10.3% shrinkage	570	0.40	9,900	10.3%
14	Red pinePinus resinosaSG 0.41 · 11.3% shrinkage	560	0.41	11,000	11.3%
15	Western hemlockTsuga heterophyllaSG 0.42 · 12.4% shrinkage	540	0.42	11,300	12.4%
16	Black sprucePicea marianaSG 0.38 · 11.3% shrinkage	530	0.38	10,800	11.3%
17	Sitka sprucePicea sitchensisSG 0.37 · 11.5% shrinkage	510	0.37	10,200	11.5%
18	California red firAbies magnificaSG 0.36 · 11.4% shrinkage	500	0.36	10,500	11.4%
19	Eastern hemlockTsuga canadensisSG 0.38 · 9.7% shrinkage	500	0.38	8,900	9.7%
20	Grand firAbies grandisSG 0.35 · 11.0% shrinkage	490	0.35	8,900	11.0%
21	Lodgepole pinePinus contortaSG 0.38 · 11.1% shrinkage	480	0.38	9,400	11.1%
22	Redwood (old-growth)Sequoia sempervirensSG 0.38 · 6.8% shrinkage	480	0.38	10,000	6.8%
23	White firAbies concolorSG 0.37 · 9.8% shrinkage	480	0.37	9,800	9.8%
24	Incense-cedarCalocedrus decurrensSG 0.35 · 7.7% shrinkage	470	0.35	8,000	7.7%
25	Ponderosa pinePinus ponderosaSG 0.38 · 9.7% shrinkage	460	0.38	9,400	9.7%
26	Pacific silver firAbies amabilisSG 0.40 · 13.0% shrinkage	430	0.40	11,000	13.0%
27	Redwood (young-growth)Sequoia sempervirensSG 0.34 · 7.0% shrinkage	420	0.34	7,900	7.0%
28	Western white pinePinus monticolaSG 0.35 · 11.8% shrinkage	420	0.35	9,700	11.8%
29	Noble firAbies proceraSG 0.37 · 12.4% shrinkage	410	0.37	10,700	12.4%
30	Engelmann sprucePicea engelmanniiSG 0.33 · 11.0% shrinkage	390	0.33	9,300	11.0%
31	Balsam firAbies balsameaSG 0.33 · 11.2% shrinkage	380	0.33	9,200	11.2%
32	Eastern white pinePinus strobusSG 0.34 · 8.2% shrinkage	380	0.34	8,600	8.2%
33	Sugar pinePinus lambertianaSG 0.34 · 7.9% shrinkage	380	0.34	8,200	7.9%
34	Atlantic white-cedarChamaecyparis thyoidesSG 0.31 · 8.8% shrinkage	350	0.31	6,800	8.8%
35	Subalpine firAbies lasiocarpaSG 0.31 · 9.4% shrinkage	350	0.31	8,600	9.4%
36	Western redcedarThuja plicataSG 0.31 · 6.8% shrinkage	350	0.31	7,500	6.8%
37	Northern white-cedarThuja occidentalisSG 0.29 · 7.2% shrinkage	320	0.29	6,500	7.2%

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