Douglas Fir vs Southern Yellow Pine
Natural Material · grade comparison
Douglas Fir and Southern Yellow Pine are both natural material grades. Douglas Fir is the stronger of the two: tensile strength 105 MPa (15.2 ksi) against 80 MPa (11.6 ksi) for Southern Yellow Pine, about 31% more. In exchange, Southern Yellow Pine is the more ductile: elongation 1.2% versus 1% for Douglas Fir. Douglas Fir is lighter (0.48 g/cm³ vs 0.62 g/cm³ for Southern Yellow Pine) and Douglas Fir is stiffer (13.4 GPa vs 11.5 GPa).
Douglas FirChoose it when strength drives the design, or when weight is the constraint.
Southern Yellow PineChoose it when the part is bent, formed or impact-loaded, or when the part sees heat.
Douglas Fir vs Southern Yellow Pine: 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.
Douglas FirSouthern Yellow Pine
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
Max Service Temperature (continuous)
Same in both: Thermal Expansion (CTE, 20–100 °C) 4 µm/m·K2.2 µin/in·°F · Min Service Temperature -60°C-76 °F
Electrical
Conductivity and insulation.
Electrical Resistivity
Same in both: Dielectric Strength 5 kV/mm127 V/mil
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.
Same in both: Machinability 80 / 100 · 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)
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 | Douglas Fir | Southern Yellow Pine |
|---|---|---|
| Default condition | — | — |
| Relative cost | $ Budget | $ Budget |
| Min. machined wall | — | — |
| Best machined surface | — | — |
Douglas Fir vs Southern Yellow Pine — frequently asked
Is Douglas Fir stronger than Southern Yellow Pine?
Yes. Douglas Fir has a typical tensile strength of 105 MPa (15.2 ksi) against 80 MPa (11.6 ksi) for Southern Yellow Pine — about 31% more.
Which is cheaper, Douglas Fir or Southern Yellow Pine?
Both sit in the same relative cost tier ($, budget); the part price will be decided by machining time, tolerance and quantity rather than by the material.
When should I choose Douglas Fir over Southern Yellow Pine?
Pick Douglas Fir when strength drives the design, or when weight is the constraint. Pick Southern Yellow Pine when the part is bent, formed or impact-loaded, or when the part sees heat.
Ready to make it?
Upload a CAD file and FabDigit prices the part in Douglas Fir and Southern Yellow Pine 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.