Relative Working Properties
- 1 = Fair
- 2 = Good
- 3 = Very Good
- 4 = Excellent
| Species | Machining | Resistance to Splitting in Nailing & Screwing | Nail and Screw Holding Ability | Gluing |
| Douglas-fir | 2 | 3 | 3 | 3 |
| Western larch | 2 | 2 | 3 | 3 |
| Engelmann spruce | 3 | 4 | 1 | 4 |
| Western hemlock | 2 | 3 | 3 | 3 |
| Noble fir | 2 | 4 | 2 | 4 |
| Grand Fir | 2 | 4 | 2 | 4 |
| Subalpine fir | 2 | 4 | 1 | 4 |
| Pacific silver fir | 2 | 3 | 2 | 4 |
| California red fir | 2 | 4 | 2 | 4 |
| Ponderosa pine | 3 | 4 | 2 | 3 |
| Western white pine | 4 | 4 | 2 | 4 |
| Sugar pine | 4 | 4 | 2 | 3 |
| Lodgepole pine | 3 | 3 | 2 | 3 |
| White spruce | 2 | 4 | 2 | 3 |
| Sitka spruce | 3 | 4 | 2 | 4 |
| Alaska yellow-cedar | 4 | 4 | 2 | 2 |
| Port-Orford-cedar | 4 | 4 | 2 | 2 |
| Incense-cedar | 4 | 4 | 2 | 4 |
| Western redcedar | 3 | 3 | 1 | 4 |
| Redwood | 2 | 4 | 2 | 4 |
| Western juniper | 3 | 3 | 4 | 4 |
| Red alder | 4 | 3 | 3 | 4 |
| Bigleaf maple | 3 | 3 | 3 | 4 |
| Oregon white oak | 4 | 2 | 4 | 2 |
| Tanoak | 4 | 2 | 4 | 2 |
| Paper birch | 4 | 2 | 3 | 2 |
| California black oak | 4 | 2 | 4 | 2 |
| Black cottonwood | 2 | 4 | 1 | 4 |
| Golden chinkapin | 2 | 3 | 3 | 3 |
| Pacific madrone | 4 | 2 | 4 | 3 |
| Myrtlewood | 3 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
Sources:
Oregon State University, College of Forestry, Department of Wood Science & Engineering
Wood Handbook: Wood as an Engineering Material (USDA Agricultural Handbook No. 72) Prepared by: U.S. Forest Products Laboratory
Western Wood Products Association and Western Hardwood Association
Physical Properties
| Species | Specific Gravity (12% MC) | Avg. Shipping Wt. (lbs/ft3) Air dry Green | % Across the Grain Shinkage (6% MC) | Modulus of Rupture (lbf/in2) @12% MC | Modulus of Elasticity (X106 lbf/in2) @12% MC | Side Hardness (lbf) @12% MC |
| Douglas-fir | 0.48 | 34 43 | 7.6 | 12400 | 1.95 | 710 |
| Western larch | 0.52 | 36 50 | 9.1 | 13000 | 1.87 | 830 |
| Engelmann spruce | 0.35 | 27 36 | 7.1 | 9300 | 1.30 | 390 |
| Western hemlock | 0.45 | 31 41 | 7.8 | 11300 | 1.63 | 540 |
| Noble fir | 0.39 | 26 30 | 8.3 | 10700 | 1.72 | 410 |
| Grand Fir | 0.39 | 26 47 | 7.0 | 8900 | 1.57 | 490 |
| Subalpine fir | 0.32 | 28 45 | 7.5 | 8600 | 1.29 | 350 |
| Pacific silver fir | 0.43 | 27 36 | 9.2 | 11000 | 1.76 | 430 |
| California red fir | 0.38 | 27 48 | 7.9 | 10500 | 1.50 | 500 |
| Ponderosa pine | 0.40 | 28 45 | 6.2 | 9400 | 1.29 | 460 |
| Western white pine | 0.38 | 27 35 | 7.4 | 9700 | 1.46 | 420 |
| Sugar pine | 0.36 | 25 52 | 5.6 | 8200 | 1.19 | 380 |
| Lodgepole pine | 0.41 | 29 39 | 6.7 | 9400 | 1.34 | 480 |
| White spruce | 0.36 | 28 35 | 8.2 | 9400 | 1.43 | 480 |
| Sitka spruce | 0.40 | 28 33 | 7.5 | 10200 | 1.57 | 510 |
| Alaska yellow-cedar | 0.44 | 31 36 | 6.8 | 11100 | 1.42 | 580 |
| Port-Orford-cedar | 0.43 | 29 36 | 6.9 | 12700 | 1.70 | 630 |
| Incense-cedar | 0.37 | 26 45 | 5.2 | 8000 | 1.04 | 470 |
| Western redcedar | 0.32 | 23 27 | 5.0 | 7500 | 1.11 | 350 |
| Redwood (young growth) | 0.35 | 28 50 | 4.7 | 7900 | 1.10 | 420 |
| Western juniper | 0.44 | 30 50 | 4.7 | 7660 | 0.89 | 620 |
| Red alder | 0.41 | 28 46 | 7.3 | 9800 | 1.38 | 590 |
| Bigleaf maple | 0.48 | 34 47 | 7.1 | 10700 | 1.45 | 850 |
| Oregon white oak | 0.72 | 50 68 | 9.0 | 10300 | 1.60 | 1660 |
| Tanoak | 0.66 | 41 62 | 10.0 | 16200 | 1.74 | 1400 |
| Paper birch | 0.55 | 38 55 | 9.9 | 12300 | 1.59 | 910 |
| California black oak | 0.57 | 40 72 | 6.6 | 8700 | 0.99 | 1100 |
| Black cottonwood | 0.35 | 24 46 | 8.6 | 8500 | 1.27 | 350 |
| Golden chinkapin | 0.46 | 32 61 | 7.4 | 10700 | 1.23 | 720 |
| Pacific madrone | 0.65 | 45 60 | 11.9 | 10400 | 1.23 | 1460 |
| Myrtlewood | 0.55 | 39 54 | 8.1 | 8000 | 0.94 | 1260 |
Source:
Wood Handbook: Wood as an Engineering Material (USDA Agricultural Handbook No. 72) Prepared by: U.S. Forest Products Laboratory
