Cedar vs Douglas Fir
Natural Material · grade comparison
Cedar and Douglas Fir are both natural material grades. Douglas Fir is the stronger of the two: tensile strength 105 MPa (15.2 ksi) against 55 MPa (7.98 ksi) for Cedar, about 91% more. Cedar is lighter (0.37 g/cm³ vs 0.48 g/cm³ for Douglas Fir) and Douglas Fir is stiffer (13.4 GPa vs 7.7 GPa). On the shop floor, Cedar machines more easily (excellent vs very good) and Douglas Fir sits in a lower cost tier (budget, $) than Cedar (premium, $$$).
CedarChoose it when weight is the constraint, or when the part is machined in volume.
Douglas FirChoose it when strength drives the design, or when cost is the deciding factor.
Cedar vs Douglas Fir: 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
Hardness, Mohs
Same in both: Elongation at Break 1% · Fracture Toughness (K_IC) 0.4 MPa·√m0.36 ksi·√in
Physical
Density and transition temperatures.
Density
Porosity
Thermal
How each material carries heat and how hot it can run.
Thermal Conductivity
Specific Heat Capacity
Same in both: Thermal Expansion (CTE, 20–100 °C) 4 µm/m·K2.2 µin/in·°F · Max Service Temperature (continuous) 65°C149 °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
Same in both: Polishability 45 / 100
Sustainability
Primary-production footprint per kilogram.
Embodied Energy (primary production)
Embodied Carbon (primary production)
Typical Recycled Content
Same in both: Embodied Water 500 L/kg59.9 gal/lb
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 | Cedar | Douglas Fir |
|---|---|---|
| Default condition | — | — |
| Relative cost | $$$ Premium | $ Budget |
| Min. machined wall | — | — |
| Best machined surface | — | — |
Cedar vs Douglas Fir — frequently asked
Is Douglas Fir stronger than Cedar?
Yes. Douglas Fir has a typical tensile strength of 105 MPa (15.2 ksi) against 55 MPa (7.98 ksi) for Cedar — about 91% more.
Which is cheaper, Cedar or Douglas Fir?
Douglas Fir is the lower-cost material: it sits in the budget tier ($) while Cedar 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, Cedar or Douglas Fir?
Cedar. Its machinability rates excellent (90/100) against very good (80/100) for Douglas Fir.
Ready to make it?
Upload a CAD file and FabDigit prices the part in Cedar and Douglas Fir 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.