Related Resources: civil engineering
Shrinkage Values of Domestic Hardwoods
The shrinkage of wood is affected by a number of variables. In general, greater shrinkage is associated with greater wood density. The size and shape of the wood may also affect shrinkage, as may the temperature and rate of drying for some species. Longitudinal shrinkage of wood (shrinkage parallel to the grain) is quite small. The longitudinal shrinkage from green to oven-dry condition is only 0.1 to 0.2 percent for most species of wood...so small, that it can usually be ignored.
Shrinkage Values Of Domestic Hardwoods
Species | Radial (%) | Tangential (%) |
Alder, red | 4.4 | 7.3 |
Ash, black | 5 | 7.8 |
Ash, blue | 3.9 | 6.5 |
Ash, green | 4.6 | 7.1 |
Ash, oregon | 4.1 | 8.1 |
Ash, pumpkin | 3.7 | 6.3 |
Ash, white | 4.9 | 7.8 |
Aspen, bigtooth | 3.3 | 7.9 |
Aspen, quaking | 3.5 | 6.7 |
Basswood, American | 6.6 | 9.3 |
Birch, Alaska paper | 6.5 | 9.9 |
Birch, Gray | 5.2 | ? |
Birch, Paper | 6.3 | 8.6 |
Birch, River | 4.7 | 9.2 |
Birch, Sweet | 6.5 | 9 |
Birch, Yellow | 7.3 | 9.5 |
Buckeye, Yellow | 3.6 | 8.1 |
Butternut | 3.4 | 6.4 |
Cherry, Black | 3.7 | 7.1 |
Chestnut, American | 3.4 | 6.7 |
Balsam poplar | 3 | 7.1 |
Cottonwood, Black | 3.6 | 8.6 |
Cottonwood, Eastern | 3.9 | 9.2 |
Elm, American | 4.2 | 7.2 |
Cedar | 4.7 | 10.2 |
Rock | 4.8 | 8.1 |
Slippery | 4.9 | 8.9 |
Elm, Winged | 5.3 | 11.6 |
Hackberry | 4.8 | 8.9 |
Pecan | 4.9 | 8.9 |
Hickory, Mockernut | 7.7 | 11 |
Pignut | 7.2 | 11.5 |
Shagbark | 7 | 10.5 |
Hickory, Shellbark | 7.6 | 12.6 |
Holly, American | 4.8 | 9.9 |
Locust, Honey | 4.2 | 6.6 |
Locust, Black | 4.6 | 7.2 |
Madrone, Pacific | 5.6 | 12.4 |
Magnolia, Cucumber tree | 5.2 | 8.8 |
Magnolia, Southern | 5.4 | 6.6 |
Magnolia, Sweetbay | 4.7 | 8.3 |
Maple, Bigleaf | 3.7 | 7.1 |
Maple, Black | 4.8 | 9.3 |
Maple, Red | 4 | 8.2 |
Maple, Silver | 3 | 7.2 |
Maple, Striped | 3.2 | 8.6 |
Maple, Sugar | 4.8 | 9.9 |
Oak, Black | 4.4 | 11.1 |
Oak, Laurel | 4 | 9.9 |
Oak, Northern Red | 4 | 8.6 |
Oak, Pin | 4.3 | 9.5 |
Oak, Scarlet | 4.4 | 10.8 |
Oak, Southern Red | 4.7 | 11.3 |
Oak, Water | 4.4 | 9.8 |
Oak, Willow | 5 | 9.6 |
Oak, Bur | 4.4 | 8.8 |
Oak, Chestnut | 5.3 | 10.8 |
Oak, Live | 6.6 | 9.5 |
Oak, Overcup | 5.3 | 12.7 |
Oak, Post | 5.4 | 9.8 |
Oak, Swamp Chestnut | 5.2 | 10.8 |
Oak, White | 5.6 | 10.5 |
Persimmon, Common | 7.9 | 11.2 |
Sassafras | 4 | 6.2 |
Sweetgum | 5.3 | 10.2 |
Sycamore, American | 5 | 8.4 |
Tanoak | 4.9 | 11.7 |
Tupelo, Black | 5.1 | 8.7 |
Tupelo, Water | 4.2 | 7.6 |
Walnut, Black | 5.5 | 7.8 |
Willow, Black | 3.3 | 8.7 |
Yellow Poplar, Tulip | 4.6 | 8.2 |
Shrinkage Values Of Domestic Softwoods
Species | Radial (%) | Tangential (%) |
Bald cypress | 3.8 | 6.2 |
Cedar, Alaska | 2.8 | 6 |
Cedar, Atlantic White | 2.9 | 5.4 |
Cedar, Eastern Red | 3.1 | 4.7 |
Cedar, Incense | 3.3 | 5.2 |
Cedar, Northern White | 2.2 | 4.9 |
Cedar, Port-Orford | 4.6 | 6.9 |
Cedar, Western Red | 2.4 | 5 |
Douglas-fir, Coastal | 4.8 | 7.6 |
Douglas-fir, Interior, north | 3.8 | 6.9 |
Douglas-fir, Interior, west | 4.8 | 7.5 |
Fir, Balsam | 2.9 | 6.9 |
Fir, California Red | 4.5 | 7.9 |
Fir, Grand | 3.4 | 7.5 |
Fir, Noble | 4.3 | 8.3 |
Fir, Pacific Silver | 4.4 | 9.2 |
Fir, Subalpine | 2.6 | 7.4 |
Fir, White | 3.3 | 7 |
Hemlock, Eastern | 3 | 6.8 |
Hemlock, Mountain | 4.4 | 7.1 |
Hemlock, Western | 4.2 | 7.8 |
Larch, Western | 4.5 | 9.1 |
Pine, Eastern White | 2.1 | 6.1 |
Pine, Jack | 3.7 | 6.6 |
Pine, Loblolly | 4.8 | 7.4 |
Pine, Lodgepole | 4.3 | 6.7 |
Pine, Longleaf | 5.1 | 7.5 |
Pine, Pitch | 4 | 7.1 |
Pine, Pond | 5.1 | 7.1 |
Pine, Ponderosa | 3.9 | 6.2 |
Pine, Red | 3.8 | 7.2 |
Pine, Shortleaf | 4.6 | 7.7 |
Pine, Slash | 5.4 | 7.6 |
Pine, Sugar | 2.9 | 5.6 |
Pine, Virginia | 4.2 | 7.2 |
Pine, Western White | 4.1 | 7.4 |
Redwood, Old-growth | 2.6 | 4.4 |
Redwood, Young-growth | 2.2 | 4.9 |
Spruce, Black | 4.1 | 6.8 |
Spruce, Englemann | 3.8 | 7.1 |
Spruce, Red | 3.8 | 7.8 |
Spruce, Sitka | 4.3 | 7.5 |
Tamarack | 3.7 | 7.4 |
Note: Shrinkage from green to oven-dry moisture content The percentages are expressed as a percentage of shrinkage FROM the green dimension, NOT the swelling from the oven-dry dimension.
References:
Anonymous. 1987. Wood Handbook: Wood as an Engineering Material. USDA, Agricultural Handbook No. 72, Revised Edition.U.S. Gov't Printing Office. Washington, D.C. 700+ pages.
Panshin, A.J. and Carl de Zeeuw. 1980. Textbook of Wood Technology: Structure, Identification, Properties, and Uses of the Commercial Woods of the United States and Canada.4th Edition McGraw-Hill Book Company. New York. 722 pages.
Steve Shook Center for Intl. Trade in Forest Products University of Washington - Seattle