Different types of wood have different naturally occurring densities. Because wood is a porous material, different kinds of wood can have more or fewer wood cells per volume of space. This defines the wood's density. Moisture is a major factor where wood boards are heavier if they have an increased water content. The water in wood can be free or bound, where free water can move through connecting cells to the end surfaces. Free water can be largely reduced through drying in kilns or dry storage. Bound water is within cells and is harder to remove. However, removing bound water increases the strength of the wood boards. That is why processed lumber is stronger than rough cut boards of the same dimensions.
The formula for the weight of wood boards is as follows:
M = ρ • n • L • W • T
where:
CAUTION: The following information is for calculating convenience with NO implied guarantees to the accuracy of the values listed. Authoritative sources should be sought to confirm any value before risking health or wealth on the veracity of the data.
| Common Name of Wood | Botanical Name | Density (kg/m³) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alder | Alnus | 380.01 | Weight of Alder Boards |
| Applewood or wild apple | Pyrus malus | 745.00 | Weight of Apple Wood Boards |
| Ash (black) | Fraxinus nigra | 526.00 | Weight of Black Ash Boards |
| Ash (blue) | Fraxinus quadrangulata | 603.00 | |
| Ash (green) | Fraxinus pennsylvanica lanceolata | 610.00 | |
| Ash (white) | Fraxinus americana | 638.00 | |
| Aspen | Populus tremuloides | 401.00 | Weight of Aspen Boards |
| Aspen (large tooth) | PopuIus grandidentata | 412.00 | |
| Balsa (Tropical America) | Ochroma pyramidale | 155.00 | Weight of Balsa Boards |
| Basswood | Tilia glabra or Tilia americanus | 398.00 | Weight of Basswood Boards |
| Beech | Fagus grandifolia or Fagus americana | 655.00 | Weight of Beach Boards |
| Beech (blue) | Carpinus caroliniana | 717.00 | |
| Birch (gray) | Betula populifolia | 552.00 | |
| Birch (paper) | Betula papyrifera | 600.00 | |
| Birch (sweet) | Betula lenta | 714.00 | |
| Birch (yellow) | Betula lutea | 668.00 | |
| Boxwood/Buis | Buxus sempervirens | 1000.00 | |
| Bubinga | Guibourtia spp | 890.00 | |
| Buckeye (yellow) | Aesculus octandra | 383.00 | |
| Butternut | Juglans cinerea | 404.00 | |
| Cedar (eastern red) | Juniperus virginiana | 492.00 | |
| Cedar (northern white) | Thuja occidentalis | 315.00 | |
| Cedar (southern white) | Chamaecyparis thyoides | 352.00 | |
| Cedar (Tropical American) | Cedrela odorata | 535.00 | |
| Cedar (western red) | Thuja plicata | 344.00 | Weight of Western Red Cedar Boards |
| Cherry (black) | Prunus serotina | 534.00 | Weight of Black Cherry Boards |
| Cherry (wild red) | Prunus pennsylvanica | 425.00 | |
| Chestnut | Castanea dentata | 454.00 | |
| Cocobolo | Dalbergia retusa | 1100.00 | |
| Corkwood | Leitneria floridana | 207.00 | |
| Cottonwood (eastern) | Populus deltoides | 433.00 | |
| Cypress (southern) | Taxodium distichum | 482.00 | |
| Dogwood (flowering) | Cornus florida | 796.00 | |
| Douglas fir (coast type) | Pseudotsuga taxifolia | 512.00 | Weight of Douglas Fir Boards |
| Douglas fir (mountain type) | Pseudotsuga taxifolia | 446.00 | |
| Ebony (India) | (Andaman marble-wood) Diospyros kurzii | 979.04 | Weight of Andaman Marblewood Boards |
| Ebony (E. Africa) | (Ebène marbre) Mauritius Diospyros melanida | 768.83 | |
| Elm (American) | Ulmus americana | 554.00 | Weight of American Elm Boards |
| Elm (rock) | Ulmus racemosa or Ulmus thomasii | 658.00 | |
| Elm (slippery) | Ulmus fulva or pubescens | 568.00 | |
| Eucalyptus (Karri) | Eucalyptus diversicolor (W. Australia) | 829.76 | |
| Eucalyptus (Bimble Box) | Eucalyptus (New South Wales) | 1059.05 | Weight of Bimble Box Boards |
| Eucalyptus (West Australian mahogany) | Eucalyptus marginata | 787.75 | |
| Fir (balsam) | Abies balsamea | 414.00 | Weight of Balsam Fir Boards |
| Fir (silver) | Abies amabilis | 415.00 | Weight of Silver Fir Boards |
| Goncalo Alves | Astronium fraxinifolium, Astronium graveolens | 960.00 | |
| Greenheart (British Guiana) | Nectandra rodioei | 1145.00 | |
| Grenadilla (Mpingo) | Dalbergia melanoxylon | 1225.00 | |
| Gum (black) | Nyssa sylvatica | 552.00 | Weight of Black Gum Boards |
| Gum (blue) | Eucalyptus globulus | 796.00 | |
| Gum (red) | Liquidambar styraciflua | 530.00 | |
| Gum (tupelo) | Nyssa aquatica | 524.00 | |
| Hemlock (eastern) | Tsuga canadensis | 431.00 | |
| Hemlock (mountain) | Tsuga martensiana | 480.00 | |
| Hemlock (western) | Tsuga heterophylla | 432.00 | |
| Hickory (bigleaf shagbark) | Hicoria laciniosa | 810.20 | |
| Hickory (mockernut) | Hicoria alba | 821.10 | Weight of Mockernut Hickory |
| Hickory (pignut) | Hicoria glabra | 821.10 | |
| Hickory (shagbark) | Hicoria ovata | 836.49 | |
| Hornbeam | Ostrya virginiana | 762.00 | Weight of Hornbeam Boards |
| Ironwood (black) | Rhamnidium ferreum | 1188.50 | Weight of Black Ironwood Boards |
| Jacarandá (Brazilian rosewood) | Dalbergia nigra | 850.92 | |
| Larch (western) | Larix occidentalis | 587.00 | Weight of Larch Boards |
| Lignum Vitae | Guaiacum officinale and Guaiacum sanctum | 1290.00 | |
| Locust (black or yellow) | Robinia pseudacacia | 708.00 | Weight of Black Locust Boards |
| Locust (honey) | Gleditsia triacanthos | 666.00 | |
| Magnolia (cucumber) | Magnolia acuminata | 516.00 | |
| Mahogany (W. Africa) | Khaya ivorensis | 668.62 | Weight of African Mahogany Boards |
| Mahogany (E. India) | Swietenia macrophylla | 540.51 | |
| Mahogany (American) | Swietenia mahogani | 540.51 | Weight of American Mahogany Boards |
| Maple (black) | Acer nigrum | 620.00 | Weight of Black Maple Boards |
| Maple (red) | Acer rubrum | 546.00 | |
| Maple (silver) | Acer saccharinum | 506.00 | |
| Maple (sugar) | Acer saccharum | 676.00 | Weight of Sugar Maple Boards |
| Mpingo (Grenadilla) | Dalbergia melanoxylon | 1225.00 | |
| Oak (black) | Quercus velutina | 669.00 | Weight of Black Oak Boards |
| Oak (bur) | Quercus macrocarpa | 671.00 | |
| Oak (canyon live) | Quercus chrysolepis | 838.00 | |
| Oak (laurel) | Quercus montana | 674.00 | |
| Oak (live) | Quercus virginiana | 977.00 | Weight of Live Oak Boards |
| Oak (pin) | Quercus pallustris | 677.00 | |
| Oak (post) | Quercus stellata or Quercus minor | 738.00 | |
| Oak (red) | Quercus borealis | 657.00 | |
| Oak (scarlet) | Quercus coccinea | 709.00 | |
| Oak (swamp chestnut) | Quercus montana (Quercus prinus) | 756.00 | |
| Oak (swamp white) | Quercus bicolor or Quercus platanoides | 792.00 | |
| Oak (white) | Quercus alba | 710.00 | |
| Persimmon | Diospyros virginiana | 776.00 | Weight of Persimmon Boards |
| Pine (eastern white) | Pinus strobus | 373.00 | Weight of Eastern White Pine |
| Pine (jack) | Pinus banksiana or Pinus divericata | 461.00 | |
| Pine (loblolly) | Pinus taeda | 593.00 | |
| Pine (longleaf) | Pinus palustris | 638.00 | |
| Pine (pitch) | Pinus rigida | 542.00 | |
| Pine (red) | Pinus resinosa | 507.00 | |
| Pine (shortleaf) | Pinus echinata | 584.00 | |
| Poplar (balsam) | Populus balsamifera or Populus candicans | 331.00 | Weight of Balsam Poplar Boards |
| Poplar (yellow) | Liriodendron tulipifera | 427.00 | Weight of Yellow Poplar Boards |
| Redwood | Sequoia sempervirens | 436.00 | Weight of California Redwood Boards |
| Rosewood (Bolivian) | Machaerium villosum, M. scleroxylon & M. acutifolium | 710.00 | |
| Rosewood (E. Indian) | Dalbergia latifolia | 780.00 | |
| Sassafras | Sassafras uariafolium | 473.00 | |
| Satinwood (Ceylon) | Chloroxylon swietenia | 1032.11 | |
| Sourwood | Oxydendrum arboreum | 593.00 | |
| Spruce (black) | Picea mariana | 428.00 | Weight of Black Spruce Boards |
| Spruce (red) | Picea rubra or Picea rubens | 413.00 | |
| Spruce (white) | Picea glauca | 431.00 | Weight of White Spruce Boards |
| Sycamore | Platanus occidentalis | 539.00 | |
| Tamarack | Larix laricina or Larix americana | 558.00 | |
| Teak (India) | Tectona grandis | 582.52 | |
| Walnut (black) | Juglans nigra | 562.00 | |
| Willow (black) | Salix nigra | 408.00 |
CAUTION: The above information is for calculating convenience with NO implied guarantees to the accuracy of the values listed. Authoritative sources should be sought to confirm any value before risking health or wealth on the veracity of the data.