Dry Weight of a Tree

Green trees are very heavy.

The weight of a tree is typically calculated by the number of lbs. per square foot. Weight is dependent on it's moisture content. A tree that has been freshly cut can weigh more than double its kiln-dried weight. There are a multitude of sources offering information on wood properties; however, not all of them use the same testing procedures or standards. Available charts reflect fluctuations in weight readings. Hardwoods consistently weigh more per square foot than softwoods.

Hardwoods

Hardwood is a term used to describe the wood of species of trees with dense, heavy wood. Dependent on their density, hardwoods are divided into medium heavy, heavy, very heavy and ironwood. Ironwood is wood that sinks in water. Hardwoods contain water-conducting cells known as tracheids. Hardwood also contains thick-walled, densely packed fiber cells which are not found in conifers.

Examples of Hardwood Weights

Dried wood typically contains from 12 to 20 percent moisture content. Pecan is a heavy, durable wood widely used for cabinetry and furniture construction. Pecan wood weighs approximately 51 lbs. to the cubic square foot when wet. Kiln dried pecan weighs 44 lbs. per square foot or 48 lbs. if air-dried. Dry eucalyptus weighs approximately 62 lbs. per cubic foot, while Lignum vitae, also known as ironwood, weighs 76 lbs. per dried cubic foot.

Softwoods

Cone-bearing trees such as fir (Abies), spruce (Picea), redwood (Sequoia) and pine (Pinus) are referred to as softwoods because their wood is composed of water-conducting cells (tracheids) without fiber cells.

Examples of Softwood Weights

Incense cedar and red alder weighs approximately 46 lbs. to the cubic foot when green. Kiln-dried weight is 23 lbs. per cubic foot and air-dried weight is 24 lbs. per cubic foot. Green Douglas fir weighs approximately 55 lbs. per cubic foot and 35 lbs. per cubic foot when air dried.

References

• Cornell University Extension: How To Choose Firewood Trees
• SIMetric.co.uk: Weight of various types of wood
• The Engineering Toolbox: Wood Species - Weight at Various Moisture Contents
• Glen-L Marine Design; Boat Building With Plywood; Lumber Species For Boat Building; Glen L. Witt;
• United States Forest Service; Forest Products Laboratory; Average Weights of Various Species of Wood