softwood · Larix laricina
Tamarack wood properties
Also known as: american larch, eastern larch.
| Type | softwood |
|---|---|
| Botanical name | Larix laricina |
| Modulus of elasticity (MOE) | 1,640,000 psi |
| Specific gravity | 0.59 |
| Density (approx) | 37 lb/ft³ (3.1 lb per board foot) |
| Janka hardness | 590 lbf |
| Shrinkage (tangential / radial) | 7.4% / 3.7% |
| Region | Canada and northeastern United States |
A 1 in x 6 in x 8 ft board of Tamarack weighs about 12.3 lb (roughly 37 lb per cubic foot). Its Janka hardness of 590 lbf is harder than about 26% of the woods in our database.
Uses and working notes
Common uses: snowshoes, utility poles, posts, rough lumber, boxes and crates, pulpwood.
Durability: Heartwood carries a moderate durability rating, acceptable outdoors but better paired with preservative treatment.
Workability: Most operations go well, but high silica dulls edges and uneven ring hardness complicates sanding.
Use this data
Similar woods
Woods with comparable hardness and density to Tamarack:
How these numbers were sourced
MOE (1,640,000 lbf/in2), Janka (590 lbf) and shrinkage (T 7.4%, R 3.7%) from The Wood Database, which cites the USDA FPL Wood Handbook. Specific gravity 0.59 is the 12% MC value (page lists basic 0.49, 12% MC 0.59). No dimensional change coefficient given: Tamarack (Larix laricina) 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.