---
title: "Ebony — density, melting point and properties"
description: "Ebony has a density of 1,000 kg/m³ (900–1,200). Melting point, strength, conductivity, what it is used for, and whether it floats, rusts or is magnetic."
url: https://atoneplace.net/material/ebony/
site: "At One Place"
---

# Ebony

**Density of ebony: 1,000 kg/m³ (900–1,200)**

1.00 g/cm³ · 62.4 lb/ft³

Dense enough that the heavier species genuinely sink in water, which is the fact everyone half-remembers — Gaboon ebony at around 955 kg/m³ only just floats, while Macassar at 1120 does not. It is extremely hard and takes a polish straight off the tool without any finish, which is why fingerboards are ebony. Supply is now the problem: many true ebonies are CITES-listed or IUCN-threatened and all are slow-growing, and much of what is sold as ebony is dyed pear or maple.

## Properties

- **Density:** 1,000 kg/m³ (900–1,200) — 1.00 g/cm³
- **Young's modulus:** 16 GPa
- **Floats in water:** No
- **Magnetic:** No

## What it is used for

- Guitar and violin fingerboards
- Piano sharps
- Knife and tool handles
- Inlay, chess pieces and turnery

## How it compares

*Water is 1,000 kg/m³. Anything with a shorter bar than water floats in it.*

- air: 1.2 kg/m³
- expanded polystyrene foam: 20 kg/m³
- rigid polyurethane foam: 40 kg/m³
- ebony: 1,000 kg/m³
- Water — the float line: 1,000 kg/m³
- tungsten: 19,250 kg/m³
- gold: 19,300 kg/m³
- platinum: 21,450 kg/m³

*Water is 1,000 kg/m³. Anything below that floats.*

| Material | Density | Relative to water |
| --- | --- | --- |
| rigid polyurethane foam | 40 kg/m³ | 0.04× |
| expanded polystyrene foam | 20 kg/m³ | 0.02× |
| air | 1.2 kg/m³ | 0.00× |
| ebony ← | 1,000 kg/m³ | 1.00× |
| platinum | 21,450 kg/m³ | 21.45× |
| gold | 19,300 kg/m³ | 19.30× |
| tungsten | 19,250 kg/m³ | 19.25× |

## Does it rust?

Ebony contains no iron, so it cannot rust. Whether it degrades depends on the material, not on oxidation.

## Is it magnetic?

Ebony is not a metal and has no ferromagnetic response.

## Common questions

### What is the density of ebony?

1,000 kg/m³ (900–1,200), or 1.00 g/cm³.

### Does ebony float?

No. At 1,000 kg/m³ it is denser than water.

### Is ebony magnetic?

Ebony is not a metal and has no ferromagnetic response.

## Related pages

- [Does ebony float?](https://atoneplace.net/does-it-float/ebony/)
- [Pine](https://atoneplace.net/material/pine/)
- [Plywood](https://atoneplace.net/material/plywood/)
- [MDF](https://atoneplace.net/material/mdf/)
- [White oak](https://atoneplace.net/material/white-oak/)
- [Red oak](https://atoneplace.net/material/red-oak/)
- [Balsa](https://atoneplace.net/material/balsa/)
- [Spruce](https://atoneplace.net/material/spruce/)
- [Western red cedar](https://atoneplace.net/material/cedar/)

## Sources

- Typical range compiled from manufacturer specifications — At One Place (/about/)