The Gougeon Brothers on Boat Construction - WEST SYSTEM Epoxy

<strong>The</strong> <strong>Gougeon</strong> <strong>Brothers</strong> On Boat Construction 375
B-1 Mechanical Properties of Commonly Used Woods 1
Static bending Compression Compression Shear Parallel Tension Side Impact
Parallel to Perpendicular to Grain- Perpendicular Hardness Bending
Modulus Modulus Work to Grain-Maximum to Grain-Fiber Maximum to Grain-Maximum Load Height of Drop
of of Maximum Crushing Stress at Pro- Shearing Tensile Perpendicular Causing Complete
Rupture Elasticity2 Load Strength portional Limit Strength Strength to Grain Failure
Specific Million Pounds Per
Species Gravity3 psi psi Cubic Inch psi psi psi psi Pounds Inches
Balsa, Medium .17 2,900 .58 — 1, 805 100 300 118 100
Birch, Yellow .55 8,300 1.50 16.1 3,380 430 1,110 430 780 48
.62 16,600 2.01 20.8 8,170 970 1,880 920 1,260 55
Cedar, Alaskan .42 6,400 1.14 9.2 3,050 350 840 330 440 27
.44 11,100 1.42 10.4 6,310 620 1,130 360 580 29
Cedar, Northern White .29 4,200 .64 5,7 1,990 230 620 240 230 15
.31 6,500 .80 4.8 3,960 310 850 240 320 12
Cedar, Port Orford .39 6,600 1.30 7.4 3,140 300 840 180 380 21
.43 12,700 1.70 9.1 6,250 720 1,370 400 630 28
Cedar, Western Red .31 5,200 94 5.0 2,770 240 770 230 260 17
.32 7,500 1.11 5.8 4,560 460 990 220 350 17
Douglas Fir, Coast .45 7,700 1.56 7.6 3,780 380 900 300 500 26
.48 12,400 1.95 9.9 7,240 800 1,130 340 710 31
Hickory .64 11,000 1.57 23.7 4,580 840 1,520 NA NA 74
.72 20,000 2.16 25.8 9,210 1,760 2,430 NA NA 67
Lauan, Light Red .41 7,500 1.44 NA 3,750 NA 840 NA 500 NA
.44 11,300 1.67 NA 5,750 NA 1,090 NA 590 NA
Mahogany, Honduras .45 9,300 1.28 9.6 4,510 NA 1,310 NA 700 NA
11,600 1.51 7.9 6,630 NA 1,290 NA 810 NA
Meranti, Dark Red .43 8,600 1.50 8.8 4,450 NA NA NA 560 NA
12,100 1.63 11.7 6,970 NA NA NA 630 NA
Okoume/Gaboon .37 7,300 1.14 3,900 NA NA NA 380 NA
Pine, Loblolly .47 7,300 1.40 8.2 3,510 390 860 260 450 30
.51 12,800 1.79 10.4 7,130 790 1,390 470 690 30
Pine, Longleaf .54 8,500 1.59 8.9 4,320 480 1,040 330 590 35
.59 14,500 1.98 11.8 8,470 960 1,510 470 870 34
Pine, White .34 4,900 .99 5.2 2,440 220 680 250 290 17
.35 8,600 1.24 6.8 4,800 440 900 310 380 18
Ramin .59 9,800 1.57 9.0 5,395 NA 994 640 NA
NA 18,400 2.17 17.0 10,080 1,514 1,300 NA
Spruce, Black .38 5,400 1.06 7.4 2,570 140 660 100 370 24
.40 10,300 1.53 10.5 5,320 530 1,030 520 23
Spruce, Sitka .37 5,700 1.23 6.3 2,670 280 760 250 350 24
.40 10,200 1.57 9.4 5,610 580 1,150 370 510 25
Teak .57 11,000 1.51 10.8 5,470 1,290 1,070
.63 12,800 1.59 10.1 7,110 1,480 1,030
2 Modulus of elasticity measured from a simple supported, center loaded beam, on a span depth ratio of 14 to 1.
<strong>The</strong> modulus can be corrected for the effect of shear deflection by increasing it 10%.
3 Specific gravity is based on weight when oven dry and volume when green, or at 12% moisture content.
1
Extracted from Forest Products Laboratory, Wood Handbook, U.S. Department of Agriculture Handbook No. 72, (Government
Printing Office, Washington, D.C., 1974), pp. 4-7–4-17. Results of tests on small, clear, straight-grained specimens. Values in
the first line for each species are from tests of green material; those in the second line are adjusted to 12% moisture content.