Machining characteristics are determined by the smoothness of the surfaces after machining (planing, jointing, shaping, turning or boring).
Poor: Surfaces are not smooth; care is needed to get a good surface.
Nail / Screw Holding indicates how well the wood holds fasteners when a force is applied to the fastener.
Poor: Nails/screws easily pulled out.
Split Resistance measures how well the wood resists splitting from nailing. (Pilot holes can reduce the splitting.)
Poor: Splits very easily.
Ease Of Gluing measures how well glue bonds the pieces of wood together.
Poor: Difficult to glue; requires close control.
Finishing indicates how well the wood accepts a clear finish. Open-grained woods generally finish better than woods with large gum or resin deposits.
Poor: Does not finish well, some conditioning needed.
Specific Gravity is a measure of density when the wood is kiln dried. The higher the specific gravity, the more dense the wood. Specific gravity is the ratio between the wood's density in relation to the density of an equal volume of water. The average specific gravity for hardwoods is 0.60 and for softwoods is 0.52.
Hardness is how well wood resists being compressed, dented, scratched or nicked. Generally the higher the density, the harder the wood. Also related to the hardness is the ease of which nails or screws can be driven into the wood.
Very Soft: Very easily dented.
Modulus Of Rupture (MOR) is a measure of the breaking strength of the wood. The higher the MOR, the greater the force required to break it.
Very Weak: Very easily broken.
Modulus Of Elasticity (MOE) measures how stiff the wood is. This measures how much force is required to bend a small, clear, straight-grained specimen at a span ratio of 14/1 according to American Society of Testing Material standard D 255-70.
Very Pliant: Very easily bent.
Weight is measured in pounds per cubic foot at 12 percent moisture content. The more dense the wood, the heavier it is.
Dimensional Stability is a measure of movement in service when the wood is subjected to moderate changes in humidity.
Very Unstable: Can be a large change.
Carving measures the ease which a species can be carved. This may be directly related to the hardness.
Poor: Extremely difficult to carve.
Shrinkage is the percentage reduction in size of wood when it goes from green to dry. Wood shrinks differently in all directions, and specific shrinkage values can be obtained from the Louisiana Forest Products Laboratory or from the Wood Handbook. The values listed represent general relationships. This measure can also be used to estimate swelling when moisture is added.
Fair: Surface smoothness is below average.
Average: Surface smoothness is average of all woods
Good: Surface smoothness is above average.
Excellent: Extremely smooth surface.
Fair: Nails/screws somewhat easy to pull out.
Average: Nails/screws hold well.
Fine: Nails/screws somewhat difficult to pull out.
Excellent: Nails/screws extremely difficult to pull out.
Fair: Somewhat easy to split.
Average: Average.
Fine: Somewhat difficult to split.
Excellent: Extremely difficult to split.
Fair: Requires control.
Good: Glues well.
Excellent: Glues extremely well.
Fair: Average finishing qualities.
Good: Fairly easy to finish.
Excellent: Extremely easy to finish.
Soft: Somewhat easy to dent.
Average: Average.
Hard: Somewhat difficult to dent.
Very Hard: Extremely difficult to dent.
Weak: Somewhat easy to break.
Average: Average.
Strong: Somewhat difficult to break.
Very Strong: Extremely difficult to break.
Pliant: Somewhat easy to bend.
Average: Average.
Stiff: Somewhat difficult to bend.
Very Stiff: Extremely difficult to bend.
Unstable: Fairly large change.
Stable: Small change.
Very Stable: Very little change.
Average: Somewhat difficult to carve.
Good: Somewhat easy to carve.
Excellent: Extremely easy to carve.
| Volumetric | Tangential | Radial | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| High: | High shrinkage and swelling | >17% | >11% | >8% |
| Medium: | Average shrinkage properties | 13% to 17% | 9% to 11% | 6% to 8% |
| Low: | Shrinkage and swelling are minimal | 9% to 13% | 5% to 9% | 3% to 5% |
| Very low: | Shrinkage and swelling are ideal | <9% | <5% | <3% |
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