Wood species database — 50 species

Stiffness (modulus of elasticity), shrinkage, hardness and weight for the 50 woods furniture makers actually buy. Primary source: USDA Wood Handbook (Forest Products Laboratory, FPL-GTR-282), cross-checked against the Wood Database — the source is printed on every species page, and any value the two sources disagree on uses the USDA figure. Each species page carries a built-in sag and movement calculator for that wood.

SpeciesStiffness EShrinkage R / TJanka (lbf)Weight (lb/ft³)
African Mahogany1.40M psi2.5% / 4.5%83033.9
African Padauk1.90M psi3.1% / 5.0%1,71046.5
American Basswood1.46M psi6.6% / 9.3%41026.0
American Beech1.72M psi5.5% / 11.9%1,30045.0
American Elm1.34M psi4.2% / 9.5%83035.0
American Sycamore1.42M psi5.0% / 8.4%77034.0
Bald Cypress1.44M psi3.8% / 6.2%51032.0
Black Ash1.60M psi5.0% / 7.8%85034.0
Black Cherry1.49M psi3.7% / 7.1%95035.0
Black Locust2.05M psi4.6% / 7.2%1,70048.0
Black Walnut1.68M psi5.5% / 7.8%1,01038.0
Butternut1.18M psi3.4% / 6.4%49027.0
Douglas Fir (Coast)1.95M psi4.8% / 7.6%71032.0
Eastern Cottonwood1.37M psi3.9% / 9.2%43028.0
Eastern Redcedar0.88M psi3.1% / 4.7%90033.0
Eastern White Pine1.24M psi2.1% / 6.1%38025.0
Hackberry1.19M psi4.8% / 8.9%88037.0
Hard Maple (Sugar Maple)1.83M psi4.8% / 9.9%1,45044.0
Honduran Mahogany1.50M psi3.0% / 4.1%80036.8
Honey Locust1.63M psi4.2% / 6.6%1,58047.0
Incense Cedar1.04M psi3.3% / 5.2%47024.0
Iroko1.46M psi2.8% / 3.8%1,26041.2
Live Oak1.98M psi6.6% / 9.5%2,68063.0
Loblolly Pine1.79M psi4.8% / 7.4%69035.0
Northern White Cedar0.80M psi2.2% / 4.9%32022.0
Oregon White Oak1.09M psi4.2% / 9.0%1,64051.0
Osage Orange1.69M psi3.8% / 5.6%2,62054.0
Pecan1.73M psi4.9% / 8.9%1,82046.0
Ponderosa Pine1.29M psi3.9% / 6.2%46028.0
Quaking Aspen1.18M psi3.5% / 6.7%35026.0
Red Alder1.38M psi4.4% / 7.3%59028.0
Red Maple1.64M psi4.0% / 8.2%95038
Red Oak (Northern)1.82M psi4.0% / 8.6%1,29043.8
Redwood (Old Growth)1.34M psi2.6% / 4.4%48026.0
Sapele1.82M psi4.6% / 7.4%1,51041.6
Sassafras1.12M psi4.0% / 6.2%63031.0
Shagbark Hickory2.16M psi7.0% / 10.5%1,88050.0
Sitka Spruce1.57M psi4.3% / 7.5%51027.0
Sugar Pine1.19M psi2.9% / 5.6%38025.0
Sweet Birch2.17M psi6.5% / 9.0%1,47046.0
Sweetgum1.64M psi5.3% / 10.2%85034.0
Teak1.55M psi2.5% / 5.8%1,00040.9
Western Hemlock1.63M psi4.2% / 7.8%54029.0
Western Larch1.87M psi4.5% / 9.1%83036.0
Western Redcedar1.11M psi2.4% / 5.0%35023.0
White Ash1.74M psi4.9% / 7.8%1,32042.0
White Fir1.50M psi3.3% / 7.0%48026.0
White Oak1.78M psi5.6% / 10.5%1,36047.0
Yellow Birch2.01M psi7.3% / 9.5%1,26043.0
Yellow Poplar1.58M psi4.6% / 8.2%54029.0

Shrinkage is green → ovendry, radial / tangential. Weight is average dried weight at 12% moisture content. Looking for a ranking instead? The Wood Picker scores all 50 by your priorities.