At One Place

Mahogany

Density of mahogany
590 kg/m³ (500–660)
0.59 g/cm³ · 36.8 lb/ft³

Genuine Honduran mahogany combines rot resistance, near-perfect dimensional stability and easy working, a combination almost nothing else offers, which is why it defined furniture and boat building for two centuries. It is now CITES-listed and largely replaced by sapele, khaya and meranti, all sold as "mahogany" and none of them the same material. Check which species you are buying, because the substitutes move more and work less pleasantly.

Properties

Density
590 kg/m³ (500–660) — 0.59 g/cm³
Young's modulus
10.3 GPa
Floats in water
Yes
Magnetic
No

What it is used for

  • Boat building and hull planking
  • Guitar bodies and necks
  • Period furniture and reproduction work
  • Interior panelling and doors

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
mahogany 590 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×
mahogany ← 590 kg/m³ 0.59×
platinum 21,450 kg/m³ 21.45×
gold 19,300 kg/m³ 19.30×
tungsten 19,250 kg/m³ 19.25×

Does it rust?

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

Is it magnetic?

Mahogany is not a metal and has no ferromagnetic response.

Common questions

What is the density of mahogany?
590 kg/m³ (500–660), or 0.59 g/cm³.
Does mahogany float?
Yes. At 590 kg/m³ it is less dense than water's 1,000.
Is mahogany magnetic?
Mahogany is not a metal and has no ferromagnetic response.

Related pages

Sources

  1. Typical range compiled from manufacturer specifications — At One Place

How these figures are compiled and checked