Spruce
Density of spruce
430 kg/m³ (350–500)
0.43 g/cm³ · 26.8 lb/ft³
The standard European and North American framing timber, sold as part of the SPF (spruce-pine-fir) mix. It has one of the highest stiffness-to-weight ratios of any wood, which is why it is the soundboard of nearly every acoustic instrument and was the spar material for wooden aircraft. Its low resin content means it takes glue and finish cleanly, unlike pine.
Properties
- Density
- 430 kg/m³ (350–500) — 0.43 g/cm³
- Young's modulus
- 9.9 GPa
- Floats in water
- Yes
- Magnetic
- No
What it is used for
- Structural framing and roof trusses
- Guitar, violin and piano soundboards
- Paper pulp
- Ladder rails and glider spars
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
spruce 430 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
| 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× |
| spruce ← | 430 kg/m³ | 0.43× |
| platinum | 21,450 kg/m³ | 21.45× |
| gold | 19,300 kg/m³ | 19.30× |
| tungsten | 19,250 kg/m³ | 19.25× |
Does it rust?
Spruce contains no iron, so it cannot rust. Whether it degrades depends on the material, not on oxidation.
Is it magnetic?
Spruce is not a metal and has no ferromagnetic response.
Common questions
- What is the density of spruce?
- 430 kg/m³ (350–500), or 0.43 g/cm³.
- Does spruce float?
- Yes. At 430 kg/m³ it is less dense than water's 1,000.
- Is spruce magnetic?
- Spruce is not a metal and has no ferromagnetic response.
Related pages
- Does spruce float? Yes
- Pine 500 kg/m³
- Plywood 600 kg/m³
- MDF 750 kg/m³
- White oak 755 kg/m³
- Red oak 700 kg/m³
- Balsa 160 kg/m³
- Western red cedar 370 kg/m³
- Hard maple 705 kg/m³
Sources
- Typical range compiled from manufacturer specifications — At One Place