---
title: "Plywood — density, melting point and properties"
description: "Plywood has a density of 600 kg/m³ (450–750). Melting point, strength, conductivity, what it is used for, and whether it floats, rusts or is magnetic."
url: https://atoneplace.net/material/plywood/
site: "At One Place"
---

# Plywood

**Density of plywood: 600 kg/m³ (450–750)**

0.60 g/cm³ · 37.5 lb/ft³

Odd numbers of veneers glued with alternating grain direction, which is what removes wood's great weakness: solid timber is roughly twenty times weaker across the grain than along it, and plywood is nearly equal in both directions. It also barely moves with humidity for the same reason. Grade and glue matter more than thickness — interior-grade ply delaminates within a season outdoors, and only marine or exterior grades with WBP adhesive survive damp.

## Properties

- **Density:** 600 kg/m³ (450–750) — 0.60 g/cm³
- **Young's modulus:** 8 GPa
- **Floats in water:** Yes
- **Magnetic:** No

## What it is used for

- Roof and floor sheathing
- Furniture carcasses and shopfitting
- Concrete shuttering
- Boat hulls and vehicle bodies

## 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
- plywood: 600 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× |
| plywood ← | 600 kg/m³ | 0.60× |
| platinum | 21,450 kg/m³ | 21.45× |
| gold | 19,300 kg/m³ | 19.30× |
| tungsten | 19,250 kg/m³ | 19.25× |

## Does it rust?

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

## Is it magnetic?

Plywood is not a metal and has no ferromagnetic response.

## Common questions

### What is the density of plywood?

600 kg/m³ (450–750), or 0.60 g/cm³.

### Does plywood float?

Yes. At 600 kg/m³ it is less dense than water's 1,000.

### Is plywood magnetic?

Plywood is not a metal and has no ferromagnetic response.

## Related pages

- [Does plywood float?](https://atoneplace.net/does-it-float/plywood/)
- [Pine](https://atoneplace.net/material/pine/)
- [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/)
- [Hard maple](https://atoneplace.net/material/maple/)

## Sources

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