The following table presents average shrinkage values, from green to ovendry, for a number of commercially important woods. The values are expressed as a percentage of the green dimension for radial, tangential, and tangential to radial (T/R) shrinkage.
Source: U.S. Forest Products Laboratory
| Wood Species | % Radial Shrinkage | % Tangential Shrinkage | Tangential/ Radial |
|---|---|---|---|
| U. S. Hardwoods | |||
| Alder, Red | 4.4 | 7.3 | 1.7 |
| Ash, Black | 5.0 | 7.8 | 1.6 |
| Ash, Blue | 3.9 | 6.5 | 1.7 |
| Ash, Green | 4.6 | 7.1 | 1.5 |
| Ash, Oregon | 4.1 | 8.1 | 2.0 |
| Ash, White | 4.9 | 7.8 | 1.6 |
| Aspen, Bigtooth | 3.3 | 7.9 | 2.4 |
| Aspen, Quaking | 3.5 | 6.7 | 1.9 |
| Basswood | 6.6 | 9.3 | 1.4 |
| Beech, American | 5.5 | 11.9 | 2.2 |
| Birch, Alaska Paper | 6.5 | 9.9 | 1.5 |
| Birch, Paper | 6.3 | 8.6 | 1.4 |
| Birch, River | 4.7 | 9.2 | 2.0 |
| Birch, Sweet | 6.5 | 9.0 | 1.4 |
| Birch, Yellow | 7.3 | 9.5 | 1.3 |
| Buckeye, Yellow | 3.6 | 8.1 | 2.3 |
| Butternut | 3.4 | 6.4 | 1.9 |
| California-laurel | 3.0 | 9.0 | 3.0 |
| Catalpa, Northern | 2.0 | 5.0 | 2.5 |
| Cherry, Black | 3.7 | 7.1 | 1.9 |
| Chestnut, American | 3.4 | 6.7 | 2.0 |
| Cottonwood, Balsam Poplar | 3.0 | 7.1 | 2.4 |
| Cottonwood, Black | 3.6 | 8.6 | 2.4 |
| Cottonwood, Eastern | 3.9 | 9.2 | 2.4 |
| Dogwood, Flowering | 7.0 | 12.0 | 1.7 |
| Elm, American | 4.2 | 9.5 | 2.3 |
| Elm, Cedar | 4.7 | 10.2 | 2.2 |
| Elm, Rock | 4.8 | 8.1 | 1.7 |
| Elm, Slippery | 4.9 | 8.9 | 1.8 |
| Elm, Winged | 5.3 | 11.6 | 2.2 |
| Hackberry | 4.8 | 8.9 | 1.9 |
| Hickory, Pecan | 4.9 | 8.9 | 1.8 |
| Hickory, Mockernut | 7.7 | 11.0 | 1.4 |
| Hickory, Pignut | 7.2 | 11.5 | 1.6 |
| Hickory, Shagbark | 7.0 | 10.5 | 1.5 |
| Hickory, Shellbark | 7.6 | 12.6 | 1.7 |
| Holly, American | 4.8 | 9.9 | 2.1 |
| Honeylocust | 4.2 | 6.6 | 1.6 |
| Hophornbeam | 9.0 | 10.0 | 1.1 |
| Horse Chestnut | 2.0 | 3.0 | 1.5 |
| Locust, Black | 4.6 | 7.2 | 1.6 |
| Madrone, Pacific | 5.6 | 12.4 | 2.2 |
| Magnolia, Cucumbertree | 5.2 | 8.8 | 1.7 |
| Magnolia, Southern | 5.4 | 6.6 | 1.2 |
| Sweetbay | 4.7 | 8.3 | 1.8 |
| Maple, Bigleaf | 3.7 | 7.1 | 1.9 |
| Maple, Black | 4.8 | 9.3 | 1.9 |
| Maple, Red | 4.0 | 8.2 | 2.1 |
| Maple, Silver | 3.0 | 7.2 | 2.4 |
| Maple, Striped | 3.2 | 8.6 | 2.7 |
| Maple, Sugar | 4.8 | 9.9 | 2.1 |
| Mesquite | 2.2 | 2.6 | 1.1 |
| Oak, Black | 4.4 | 11.1 | 2.5 |
| Oak, Laurel | 4.0 | 9.9 | 2.5 |
| Oak, Northern Red | 4.0 | 8.6 | 2.2 |
| Oak, Pin | 4.3 | 9.5 | 2.2 |
| Oak, Scarlet | 4.4 | 10.8 | 2.5 |
| Oak, Southern Red | 4.7 | 11.3 | 2.4 |
| Oak, Water | 4.4 | 9.8 | 2.2 |
| Oak, Willow | 5.0 | 9.6 | 1.9 |
| Oak, Bur | 4.4 | 8.8 | 2.0 |
| Oak, Chestnut | 5.3 | 10.8 | 2.0 |
| Oak, Live | 6.6 | 9.5 | 1.4 |
| Oak, Overcup | 5.3 | 12.7 | 2.4 |
| Oak, Post | 5.4 | 9.8 | 1.8 |
| Oak, Swamp Chestnut | 5.2 | 10.8 | 2.1 |
| Oak, White | 5.6 | 10.5 | 1.9 |
| Persimmon,Common | 7.9 | 11.2 | 1.4 |
| Sassafras | 4.0 | 6.2 | 1.6 |
| Sweetgum | 5.3 | 10.2 | 1.9 |
| Sycamore, American | 5.0 | 8.4 | 1.7 |
| Tanoak | 4.9 | 11.7 | 2.4 |
| Tupelo, Black | 5.1 | 8.7 | 1.7 |
| Tupelo, Water | 4.2 | 7.6 | 1.8 |
| Walnut, Black | 5.5 | 7.8 | 1.4 |
| Willow, Black | 3.3 | 8.7 | 2.6 |
| Yellow-poplar | 4.6 | 8.2 | 1.8 |
| U. S. Softwoods | |||
| Baldcypress | 3.8 | 6.2 | 1.6 |
| Cedar, Alaska- | 2.8 | 6.0 | 2.1 |
| Cedar, Atlantic White | 2.9 | 5.4 | 1.9 |
| Cedar, Eastern Redcedar | 3.1 | 4.7 | 1.5 |
| Cedar, Incense | 3.3 | 5.2 | 1.6 |
| Cedar, Northern White | 2.2 | 4.9 | 2.2 |
| Cedar, Port-Orford | 4.6 | 6.9 | 1.5 |
| Cedar, Western Redcedar | 2.4 | 5.0 | 2.1 |
| Douglas-fir, Coast | 4.8 | 7.6 | 1.6 |
| Douglas-fir, Interior North | 3.8 | 6.9 | 1.8 |
| Douglas-fir, Interior West | 4.8 | 7.5 | 1.6 |
| Fir, Balsam | 2.9 | 6.9 | 2.4 |
| Fir, California Red | 4.5 | 7.9 | 1.8 |
| Fir, Grand | 3.4 | 7.5 | 2.2 |
| Fir, Noble | 4.3 | 8.3 | 1.9 |
| Fir, Pacific Silver | 4.4 | 9.2 | 2.1 |
| Fir, Subalpine | 2.6 | 7.4 | 2.8 |
| Fir, White | 3.3 | 7.0 | 2.1 |
| Hemlock, Eastern | 3.0 | 6.8 | 2.3 |
| Hemlock,Mountain | 4.4 | 7.1 | 1.6 |
| Hemlock,Western | 4.2 | 7.8 | 1.9 |
| Larch, Western | 4.5 | 9.1 | 2.0 |
| Pine, Eastern White | 2.1 | 6.1 | 2.9 |
| Pine, Jack | 3.7 | 6.6 | 1.8 |
| Pine, Loblolly | 4.8 | 7.4 | 1.5 |
| Pine, Lodgepole | 4.3 | 6.7 | 1.6 |
| Pine, Longleaf | 5.1 | 7.5 | 1.5 |
| Pine, Pitch | 4.0 | 7.1 | 1.8 |
| Pine, Pond | 5.1 | 7.1 | 1.4 |
| Pine, Ponderosa | 3.9 | 6.2 | 1.6 |
| Pine, Red | 3.8 | 7.2 | 1.9 |
| Pine, Shortleaf | 4.6 | 7.7 | 1.7 |
| Pine, Slash | 5.4 | 7.6 | 1.4 |
| Pine, Sugar | 2.9 | 5.6 | 1.9 |
| Pine, Virginia | 4.2 | 7.2 | 1.7 |
| Pine, Western White | 4.1 | 7.4 | 1.8 |
| Redwood, Old-Growth | 2.6 | 4.4 | 1.7 |
| Redwood, Young-Growth | 2.2 | 4.9 | 2.2 |
| Spruce, Black | 4.1 | 6.8 | 1.7 |
| Spruce, Engelmann | 3.8 | 7.1 | 1.9 |
| Spruce, Red | 3.8 | 7.8 | 2.1 |
| Spruce, Sitka | 4.3 | 7.5 | 1.7 |
| Tamarack | 3.7 | 7.4 | 2.0 |
| Woods Imported into U. S. | |||
| Afrormosia | 3.0 | 6.4 | 2.1 |
| Albarco | 2.8 | 5.4 | 1.9 |
| Albizia | 3.0 | 6.0 | 2.0 |
| Almendrillo | 5.5 | 8.2 | 1.5 |
| Andiroba | 3.1 | 7.6 | 2.5 |
| Angelin | 4.6 | 9.8 | 2.1 |
| Angelique | 5.2 | 8.8 | 1.7 |
| Apitong | 5.2 | 10.9 | 2.1 |
| Ayan | 3.0 | 5.0 | 1.7 |
| Azobe | 8.4 | 11.0 | 1.3 |
| Balata | 6.3 | 9.4 | 1.5 |
| Balsa | 3.0 | 7.6 | 2.5 |
| Banak | 4.6 | 8.8 | 1.9 |
| Benge | 5.2 | 8.6 | 1.7 |
| Bubinga | 5.8 | 8.4 | 1.4 |
| Caribbean | 6.3 | 7.8 | 1.2 |
| Cativo | 2.4 | 5.3 | 2.2 |
| Cedar, South American | 4.0 | 6.0 | 1.5 |
| Ceylon Satinwood | 6.0 | 7.0 | 1.2 |
| Cocobolo | 3.0 | 4.0 | 1.3 |
| Courbaril | 4.5 | 8.5 | 1.9 |
| Cuangare | 4.2 | 9.4 | 2.2 |
| Degame | 5.0 | 9.0 | 1.8 |
| Determa | 3.7 | 7.6 | 2.1 |
| Ebony | 5.5 | 6.5 | 1.2 |
| Freijo | 4.0 | 7.0 | 1.8 |
| Gmelina | 2.4 | 4.9 | 2.0 |
| Greenheart | 8.8 | 9.6 | 1.1 |
| Hura | 2.7 | 4.5 | 1.7 |
| lpe | 6.6 | 8.0 | 1.2 |
| lroko | 2.8 | 3.8 | 1.4 |
| Jarrah | 4.6 | 6.6 | 1.4 |
| Jelutong | 2.0 | 4.0 | 2.0 |
| Kaneelhart | 5.4 | 7.9 | 1.5 |
| Kapur | 4.6 | 10.2 | 2.2 |
| Karri | 7.2 | 10.7 | 1.5 |
| Kempas | 6.0 | 7.4 | 1.2 |
| Keruing | 5.2 | 10.9 | 2.1 |
| Lauan | 3.8 | 8.0 | 2.1 |
| Limba | 4.5 | 6.2 | 1.4 |
| Macawood | 2.7 | 3.5 | 1.3 |
| Mahogany, African | 2.5 | 4.5 | 1.8 |
| Mahogany, True | 3.0 | 4.1 | 1.4 |
| Manbarklak | 5.8 | 10.3 | 1.8 |
| Manni | 5.7 | 9.7 | 1.7 |
| Marishballi | 7.5 | 11.7 | 1.6 |
| Merbau | 2.7 | 4.6 | 1.7 |
| Mersawa | 4.0 | 9.0 | 2.3 |
| Mora | 6.9 | 9.8 | 1.4 |
| Obeche | 3.0 | 5.4 | 1.8 |
| Ocota | 4.6 | 7.5 | 1.6 |
| Okoume | 4.1 | 6.1 | 1.5 |
| Opepe | 4.5 | 8.4 | 1.9 |
| Parana pine | 4.0 | 7.9 | 2.0 |
| Pau Marfim | 4.6 | 8.8 | 1.9 |
| Peroba Rosa | 3.8 | 6.4 | 1.7 |
| Piquia | 5.0 | 8.0 | 1.6 |
| Pilon | 5.4 | 11.7 | 2.2 |
| Primavera | 3.1 | 5.1 | 1.6 |
| Purpleheart | 3.2 | 6.1 | 1.9 |
| Queensland walnut | 5.0 | 9.0 | 1.8 |
| Ramin | 4.3 | 8.7 | 2.0 |
| Roble (Quercus spp) | 6.4 | 11.7 | 1.8 |
| Roble (Tabebuia spp) | 3.6 | 6.1 | 1.7 |
| Rosewood, Brazilian | 2.9 | 4.6 | 1.6 |
| Rosewood, Indian | 2.7 | 5.8 | 2.1 |
| Santa Maria | 4.6 | 8.0 | 1.7 |
| Sapele | 4.6 | 7.4 | 1.6 |
| Sepetir | 3.7 | 7.0 | 1.9 |
| Spanish-cedar | 4.2 | 6.3 | 1.5 |
| Teak | 2.5 | 5.8 | 2.3 |
| Wallaba | 3.6 | 6.9 | 1.9 |
