Oak vs Radiata Pine
Natural Material · grade comparison
Oak and Radiata Pine are both natural material grades. Oak is the stronger of the two: tensile strength 95 MPa (13.8 ksi) against 90 MPa (13.1 ksi) for Radiata Pine, about 6% more. Radiata Pine is lighter (0.48 g/cm³ vs 0.72 g/cm³ for Oak) and Oak is stiffer (12.3 GPa vs 10.2 GPa). On the shop floor, Radiata Pine machines more easily (excellent vs very good) and Radiata Pine sits in a lower cost tier (budget, $) than Oak (standard, $$).
OakChoose it when strength drives the design, or when the part sees heat.
Radiata PineChoose it when weight is the constraint, or when the part is machined in volume.
Oak vs Radiata 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.
Mechanical
Strength, stiffness, ductility and hardness at room temperature.
Elastic (Young's) Modulus
Shear Modulus
Tensile Strength (Ultimate)
Compressive Strength
Flexural Strength
Shear Strength
Fracture Toughness (K_IC)
Hardness, Mohs
Same in both: Poisson's Ratio 0.37 · Elongation at Break 1%
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)
Max Service Temperature (continuous)
Min Service Temperature
Electrical
Conductivity and insulation.
Electrical Resistivity
Dielectric Strength
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)
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 | Oak | Radiata Pine |
|---|---|---|
| Default condition | — | — |
| Relative cost | $$ Standard | $ Budget |
| Min. machined wall | — | — |
| Best machined surface | — | — |
Oak vs Radiata Pine — frequently asked
Is Oak stronger than Radiata Pine?
Yes. Oak has a typical tensile strength of 95 MPa (13.8 ksi) against 90 MPa (13.1 ksi) for Radiata Pine — about 6% more.
Which is cheaper, Oak or Radiata Pine?
Radiata Pine is the lower-cost material: it sits in the budget tier ($) while Oak 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, Oak or Radiata Pine?
Radiata Pine. 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 Oak and Radiata 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.