Birch vs Walnut
Natural Material · grade comparison
Birch and Walnut are both natural material grades. Birch is the stronger of the two: tensile strength 115 MPa (16.7 ksi) against 100 MPa (14.5 ksi) for Walnut, about 15% more. Birch is the more ductile: elongation 1.5% versus 1.2% for Walnut. Walnut is lighter (0.61 g/cm³ vs 0.65 g/cm³ for Birch) and Birch is stiffer (13.9 GPa vs 11.6 GPa). On the shop floor, Walnut machines more easily (excellent vs very good) and Birch sits in a lower cost tier (budget, $) than Walnut (standard, $$).
BirchChoose it when strength drives the design, or when the part is bent, formed or impact-loaded.
WalnutChoose it when weight is the constraint, or when the part is machined in volume.
Birch vs Walnut: 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
Poisson's Ratio
Tensile Strength (Ultimate)
Elongation at Break
Compressive Strength
Flexural Strength
Shear Strength
Fracture Toughness (K_IC)
Same in both: Shear Modulus 1 GPa0.15 Msi
Physical
Density and transition temperatures.
Density
Porosity
Thermal
How each material carries heat and how hot it can run.
Thermal Conductivity
Thermal Expansion (CTE, 20–100 °C)
Max Service Temperature (continuous)
Same in both: Specific Heat Capacity 1,600 J/kg·K0.38 BTU/lb·°F · Min Service Temperature -60°C-76 °F
Electrical
Conductivity and insulation.
Dielectric Strength
Same in both: Electrical Resistivity 1×10⁹ Ω·m3.94×10¹⁶ 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)
Same in both: Embodied Water 600 L/kg71.9 gal/lb · Typical Recycled Content 5%
Common Calculations
Ratios derived from the values above.
Specific Strength (UTS / density)
Specific Stiffness (E / density)
Same in both: Thermal Diffusivity 0.1 mm²/s · 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 | Birch | Walnut |
|---|---|---|
| Default condition | — | — |
| Relative cost | $ Budget | $$ Standard |
| Min. machined wall | — | — |
| Best machined surface | — | — |
Birch vs Walnut — frequently asked
Is Birch stronger than Walnut?
Yes. Birch has a typical tensile strength of 115 MPa (16.7 ksi) against 100 MPa (14.5 ksi) for Walnut — about 15% more.
Which is cheaper, Birch or Walnut?
Birch is the lower-cost material: it sits in the budget tier ($) while Walnut is standard ($$). 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, Birch or Walnut?
Walnut. Its machinability rates excellent (88/100) against very good (75/100) for Birch.
Ready to make it?
Upload a CAD file and FabDigit prices the part in Birch and Walnut 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.