softwood · Picea rubens
Red Spruce wood properties
Also known as: adirondack spruce.
| Type | softwood |
|---|---|
| Botanical name | Picea rubens |
| Modulus of elasticity (MOE) | 1,560,000 psi |
| Specific gravity | 0.43 |
| Density (approx) | 27 lb/ft³ (2.2 lb per board foot) |
| Janka hardness | 490 lbf |
| Shrinkage (tangential / radial) | 7.8% / 3.8% |
| Region | Eastern North America |
A 1 in x 6 in x 8 ft board of Red Spruce weighs about 8.9 lb (roughly 27 lb per cubic foot). Its Janka hardness of 490 lbf is harder than about 16% of the woods in our database.
Uses and working notes
Common uses: pulpwood, construction lumber, millwork, crates, musical instrument soundboards.
Durability: Low decay resistance overall, limiting its use to interior or otherwise protected locations.
Workability: Clear pieces are simple to mill and bond, but stain tends to absorb unevenly and blotch.
Use this data
Similar woods
Woods with comparable hardness and density to Red Spruce:
How these numbers were sourced
MOE (1,560,000 lbf/in2), Janka (490 lbf) and shrinkage (T 7.8%, R 3.8%) from The Wood Database, which cites the USDA FPL Wood Handbook. Specific gravity 0.43 is the 12% MC value (page lists basic 0.37, 12% MC 0.43). No dimensional change coefficient given: Red Spruce has no exact row in the FPL/Hoadley table reproduced by Popular Woodworking, so CT/CR are omitted. Region, uses, durability and workability summarized from The Wood Database. Price indicative.
Values shown as estimates rather than sourced constants: typicalPricePerBF_usd.
Sources
These calculators are for planning and estimation. Engineering results (shelf sag, wood movement) use published average material properties; real boards vary by grade, grain, moisture and defects. Verify load-bearing designs with a professional.