How much does American Beech lumber weigh?
An American Beech 1×2, 8 ft weighs at 12% moisture content, kiln-dried.
43.0 lb/ft³ · 1.33 bd ft ·
American Beech is a hardwood with a basic specific gravity of 0.56 (ovendry mass over green volume, USDA Wood Handbook Table 5-3b) — 43.0 lb/ft³ once dried to 12% moisture content. Its Janka side hardness is 1,300 lbf, the 6th hardest of the 46 species on this site. Green, freshly cut moisture content runs 55% in the heartwood to 72% in the sapwood. Total shrinkage from green to ovendry runs about 17.2% by volume.
American Beech weight by size
| Size | Actual (dry) | 8 ft, 12% MC | Per foot | Green range |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1×2 | 3/4″ × 1-1/2″ | 2.7 lb | 0.34 lb/ft | 3.7–4.1 lb |
| 1×3 | 3/4″ × 2-1/2″ | 4.5 lb | 0.56 lb/ft | 6.0–6.7 lb |
| 1×4 | 3/4″ × 3-1/2″ | 6.3 lb | 0.78 lb/ft | 8.4–9.3 lb |
| 1×6 | 3/4″ × 5-1/2″ | 9.9 lb | 1.23 lb/ft | 13.2–14.7 lb |
| 1×8 | 3/4″ × 7-1/4″ | 13.0 lb | 1.62 lb/ft | 17.6–19.6 lb |
| 1×10 | 3/4″ × 9-1/4″ | 16.6 lb | 2.07 lb/ft | 22.3–24.8 lb |
| 1×12 | 3/4″ × 11-1/4″ | 20.1 lb | 2.52 lb/ft | 27.0–30.0 lb |
Board-to-board variation of ±10-15% is normal even within one species and size. How these numbers are computed.
Related
- All species: wood species index
- By density: Lighter: Yellow Birch (SG 0.55) · Denser: Red Oak (SG 0.56)