Bonded Leather Board vs Natural Cork
Natural Material · grade comparison
Bonded Leather Board and Natural Cork are both natural material grades. Bonded Leather Board is the stronger of the two: tensile strength 8 MPa (1.16 ksi) against 1 MPa (0.16 ksi) for Natural Cork, about 7.3 times as much. Bonded Leather Board is the more ductile: elongation 15% versus 7% for Natural Cork. Natural Cork is lighter (0.16 g/cm³ vs 0.7 g/cm³ for Bonded Leather Board) and Bonded Leather Board is stiffer (0.45 GPa vs 0.02 GPa). On the shop floor, Bonded Leather Board sits in a lower cost tier (standard, $$) than Natural Cork (premium, $$$).
Bonded Leather BoardChoose it when strength drives the design, or when the part is bent, formed or impact-loaded.
Natural CorkChoose it when weight is the constraint, or when the part sees heat.
Bonded Leather Board vs Natural Cork: 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.
Bonded Leather BoardNatural Cork
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
Shear Modulus
Bulk Modulus
Physical
Density and transition temperatures.
Density
Porosity
Thermal
How each material carries heat and how hot it can run.
Thermal Conductivity
Specific Heat Capacity
Max Service Temperature (continuous)
Min Service Temperature
Electrical
Conductivity and insulation.
Electrical Resistivity
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.
Polishability
Same in both: Machinability 85 / 100
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
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 | Bonded Leather Board | Natural Cork |
|---|---|---|
| Default condition | — | — |
| Relative cost | $$ Standard | $$$ Premium |
| Min. machined wall | — | — |
| Best machined surface | — | — |
Bonded Leather Board vs Natural Cork — frequently asked
Is Bonded Leather Board stronger than Natural Cork?
Yes. Bonded Leather Board has a typical tensile strength of 8 MPa (1.16 ksi) against 1 MPa (0.16 ksi) for Natural Cork — about 7.3 times as much.
Which is cheaper, Bonded Leather Board or Natural Cork?
Bonded Leather Board is the lower-cost material: it sits in the standard tier ($$) while Natural Cork is premium ($$$). Part price depends far more on geometry, tolerance and quantity than on raw stock — upload a CAD file for a live quote.
When should I choose Bonded Leather Board over Natural Cork?
Pick Bonded Leather Board when strength drives the design, or when the part is bent, formed or impact-loaded. Pick Natural Cork when weight is the constraint, or when the part sees heat.
Ready to make it?
Upload a CAD file and FabDigit prices the part in Bonded Leather Board and Natural Cork 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.