[Woodcarver] Wood density

[ellenwoodarts]

Jim,

The weight of wood is directly proportional to its relative hardness. The
woods most used by carvers will weigh between 25 and 50 pounds per cubic
foot, when dried to 10% moisture content. Wood which is lighter than 25
pounds per cubic foot is too soft, so they will dent easily and not hold
good detail. Wood which is heavier than 50 pounds per cubic foot are
difficult to carve because of their hardness. The following is the weights
of common carving woods in weight per cubic foot:

 

Basswood weighs about 26 pounds 

Sugar pine about 26 pounds 

Butternut about 27 pounds 

Catalpa about 29 pounds 

I categorize these as EASY to carve.

 

Tupelo about 35 pounds

Cherry about 35 pounds

Mahogany about 35 pounds

I categorize these as MEDIUM to carve

 

Walnut about 36 to 38 pounds

I categorize walnut as HARD to carve

 

Maple about 42 to 45 pounds

White Oak about 48 pounds

Red Oak about 48 pounds

Apple about 48 pounds

I categorize these as VERY HARD to carve

 

Butternut is one of my favorite woods to carve because of its beautiful
grain pattern and ease with which it carves (very similar to basswood).

A major problem is; butternut is becoming more and more difficult to find
because of a blight called "butternut canker", which is killing the trees.
It is so concerning that, in the United States, butternut has been labeled
as a "species at risk". Most of the butternut we find today comes from trees
which have died but are still intact. Extensive research is being done to
develop a stronger species of butternut, or find trees which show natural
resistance to the butternut canker and propagate those. If this is not
successful, butternut could become an extinct species of trees. Catalpa is
similar to butternut but has a more aggressive grain pattern. If you can't
find butternut, try catalpa.

 

Ev Ellenwood

www.ellenwoodarts.com

 

 

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