Balsa vs Oak
Natural Material · grade comparison
Balsa and Oak are both natural material grades. Oak is the stronger of the two: tensile strength 95 MPa (13.8 ksi) against 24 MPa (3.48 ksi) for Balsa, about 4.0 times as much. In exchange, Balsa is the more ductile: elongation 1.5% versus 1% for Oak. Balsa is lighter (0.16 g/cm³ vs 0.72 g/cm³ for Oak) and Oak is stiffer (12.3 GPa vs 3.4 GPa). On the shop floor, Balsa machines more easily (excellent vs very good) and Oak sits in a lower cost tier (standard, $$) than Balsa (premium, $$$).
BalsaChoose it when the part is bent, formed or impact-loaded, or when weight is the constraint.
OakChoose it when strength drives the design, or when cost is the deciding factor.
Balsa vs Oak: 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)
Elongation at Break
Compressive Strength
Flexural Strength
Shear Strength
Fracture Toughness (K_IC)
Hardness, Mohs
Physical
Density and transition temperatures.
Density
Porosity
Thermal
How each material carries heat and how hot it can run.
Thermal Conductivity
Specific Heat Capacity
Thermal Expansion (CTE, 20–100 °C)
Min Service Temperature
Same in both: Max Service Temperature (continuous) 90°C194 °F
Electrical
Conductivity and insulation.
Dielectric Strength
Same in both: Electrical Resistivity 1×10¹⁰ Ω·m3.94×10¹⁷ µΩ·in
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 Carbon (primary production)
Embodied Water
Typical Recycled Content
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 | Oak |
|---|---|---|
| Default condition | — | — |
| Relative cost | $$$ Premium | $$ Standard |
| Min. machined wall | — | — |
| Best machined surface | — | — |
Balsa vs Oak — frequently asked
Is Oak stronger than Balsa?
Yes. Oak has a typical tensile strength of 95 MPa (13.8 ksi) against 24 MPa (3.48 ksi) for Balsa — about 4.0 times as much.
Which is cheaper, Balsa or Oak?
Oak 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 Oak?
Balsa. Its machinability rates excellent (90/100) against very good (70/100) for Oak.
Ready to make it?
Upload a CAD file and FabDigit prices the part in Balsa and Oak 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.