Sometimes you want to make crates using plywood or shelves that are light but strong. For this you need a stiff wood that is also light. You can’t lift boxes that are made of heavy wood – it defeats the object of storage and packing and transporting good in wooden container boxes.
Summary of stiffest hardest woods tested for stiffness (see full video below)
Hardwoods have strength but they’re also heavy. Softwoods are light but generally not as strong as hardwoods. However there are some woods that are BOTH strong AND light and if possible the stiffest wood you can get!
Plywood
What thickness does plywood come in?
Plywood sheets are generally available in variable thickness options ranging from 1/8″ (0.125″) to 1-1/8″ (1.13″). However, the most commonly available sizes are 1/4″, 3/8″, 1/2″, 5/8″, and 3/4″. The table above presents the standard thickness of boards that are readily available on the market.
What thickness of plywood can I stand on?
5/8″ to walk on. 3/4 “if it is live load bearing. Minimum 1/2″ if only storing light materials and boxes of stuff. Plywood is actually engineered to support weight and provide strength. For instance, a 12-inch by 36-inch cut of plywood with a thickness of 1/4 inch will support a weight of five pounds, while a 12-inch by 36-inch cut of plywood with a thickness of 3/4 inches can support up to 50 pounds.
Is Plywood Stronger than Solid Wood?
When comparing equally thick plywood vs. equally thick solid wood, plywood is stronger against bending forces. However, you must take into account the type and quality of the wood. Remember that not all plywood is stronger than all solid wood, but if you take pine plywood and put it against a solid pine board, the pine plywood will withstand a higher bending force before breaking.
Cardboard is useful but often won’t do the job! Crates are a perfect example, especially shipping crates. These require strong lightweight wooden materials. Solid woods represent only a percentage of the woods used and crates are made mostly from plywood, which must also be light-weight and very strong. Shelving materials offer another example when solid wood might be too heavy.
Redwood is one of the lightest, most durable woods used as a building material. This is one of the reasons among others, that Redwood is such a popular building material in the building real-estate industry.
What is the most durable type of Redwood?
Heartwood redwood grades are the most durable of all the Redwoods. Cedar, which comes in at only 19.7 – 23 pounds per square foot (when it’s fully dried). Cedar is also one of the lightest woods available anywhere.
Fir Plywood
I’d never heard of ‘Fir plywood’ – but apparently it’s very lightweight and one of the strongest structural materials available anywhere.
Douglas Fir
This is the most common wood used for structural purposes such as when framing a house with studs. Douglas fir is technically technically a softwood. It’s light, very straight and super-strong. It can be used to build frameworks for crates or anything else you need strong light wood for.
The best video I found for testing stiffness strength crossways of different wood types
Some examples of lightweight strong wood include balsa, cedar, and basswood. These woods are often used in construction for lightweight structures, such as model airplanes, kites, and some furniture. Balsa wood is also commonly used as a core material in sandwich-style construction for windsurfing boards and surfboards. Cedar is often used in outdoor furniture and decks because of its natural resistance to rot and decay. Basswood is a popular choice for carving and is also used in the construction of wooden blinds and shutters.
What wood is the stiffest?
Experts are agree that the Australian Buloke – an ironwood tree – provides the hardest wood in the world, with a Janka hardness rating of 5,060 lbf. Others insist Quebracho (which translates to ‘ax-breaker’ in Spanish) is the tree that produces the hardest wood in the world.
This article is about: strongest lightest wood tests. What is the stiffest wood available?
