Balsa vs Maple
Natural Material · grade comparison
Balsa and Maple are both natural material grades. Maple is the stronger of the two: tensile strength 100 MPa (14.5 ksi) against 24 MPa (3.48 ksi) for Balsa, about 4.2 times as much. Balsa is lighter (0.16 g/cm³ vs 0.71 g/cm³ for Maple) and Maple is stiffer (12.6 GPa vs 3.4 GPa). On the shop floor, Balsa machines more easily (excellent vs good) and Maple sits in a lower cost tier (standard, $$) than Balsa (premium, $$$).
BalsaChoose it when weight is the constraint, or when the part is machined in volume.
MapleChoose it when strength drives the design, or when cost is the deciding factor.
Balsa vs Maple: propertiesHow to read these bars
- One bar per material. A full bar is the highest value among all natural material grades in the FabDigit library; each bar is drawn as a share of that.
- The better value (by the usual engineering direction) is in bold. Rows with no direction — density, thermal conductivity — have no bold.
- Values are typical room-temperature figures for the condition named on each card.
- Confirm against the certified mill or resin datasheet before design release.
How to read these bars
- One bar per material. A full bar is the highest value among all natural material grades in the FabDigit library; each bar is drawn as a share of that.
- The better value (by the usual engineering direction) is in bold. Rows with no direction — density, thermal conductivity — have no bold.
- Values are typical room-temperature figures for the condition named on each card.
- Confirm against the certified mill or resin datasheet before design release.
Mechanical
Strength, stiffness, ductility and hardness at room temperature.
Elastic (Young's) Modulus
Shear Modulus
Poisson's Ratio
Tensile Strength (Ultimate)
Compressive Strength
Flexural Strength
Shear Strength
Fracture Toughness (K_IC)
Same in both: Elongation at Break 1.5%
Physical
Density and transition temperatures.
Density
Porosity
Thermal
How each material carries heat and how hot it can run.
Thermal Conductivity
Specific Heat Capacity
Min Service Temperature
Same in both: Thermal Expansion (CTE, 20–100 °C) 4 µm/m·K2.2 µin/in·°F · Max Service Temperature (continuous) 90°C194 °F
Electrical
Conductivity and insulation.
Electrical Resistivity
Dielectric Strength
Chemical & Environmental
Corrosion and environmental resistance (0–100 scores).
Corrosion Resistance
Manufacturability
FabDigit workshop ratings (0–100 scores) — how each material behaves on the machine.
Machinability
Polishability
Sustainability
Primary-production footprint per kilogram.
Embodied Energy (primary production)
Embodied Water
Typical Recycled Content
Same in both: Embodied Carbon (primary production) 0.45 kg CO₂/kg
Common Calculations
Ratios derived from the values above.
Specific Strength (UTS / density)
Specific Stiffness (E / density)
Thermal Diffusivity
Same in both: Thermal Shock Resistance Index 0
Strength versus weight
Yield strength against density for every natural material grade in the FabDigit library; the compared grades are highlighted. Up and left is stronger for its weight.
Manufacturing and finishing
| Capability | Balsa | Maple |
|---|---|---|
| Default condition | — | — |
| Relative cost | $$$ Premium | $$ Standard |
| Min. machined wall | — | — |
| Best machined surface | — | — |
Balsa vs Maple — frequently asked
Is Maple stronger than Balsa?
Yes. Maple has a typical tensile strength of 100 MPa (14.5 ksi) against 24 MPa (3.48 ksi) for Balsa — about 4.2 times as much.
Which is cheaper, Balsa or Maple?
Maple is the lower-cost material: it sits in the standard tier ($$) while Balsa is premium ($$$). Part price depends far more on geometry, tolerance and quantity than on raw stock — upload a CAD file for a live quote.
Which is easier to machine, Balsa or Maple?
Balsa. Its machinability rates excellent (90/100) against good (68/100) for Maple.
Ready to make it?
Upload a CAD file and FabDigit prices the part in Balsa and Maple side by side — material, machining time, tolerance and finish in one quote. Certified material data ships with the order on request.
Typical handbook values for the conditions named above, normalised for comparison. Hardness on non-Brinell scales is converted approximately for charting only. Request certified data with your order for design-critical properties.