Redwood vs SPF
Natural Material · grade comparison
Redwood and SPF are both natural material grades. Redwood is the stronger of the two: tensile strength 70 MPa (10.2 ksi) against 22 MPa (3.19 ksi) for SPF, about 3.2 times as much. On the shop floor, SPF sits in a lower cost tier (budget, $) than Redwood (standard, $$).
RedwoodChoose it when strength drives the design.
SPFChoose it when cost is the deciding factor.
Redwood vs SPF: 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
Same in both: Elongation at Break 1% · Shear Strength 7 MPa0.94 ksi · Fracture Toughness (K_IC) 0.4 MPa·√m0.36 ksi·√in
Physical
Density and transition temperatures.
Porosity
Same in both: Density 0.42 g/cm³0.02 lb/in³
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)
Same in both: Min Service Temperature -60°C-76 °F
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.
Machinability
Polishability
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)
Same in both: Thermal Diffusivity 0.2 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 | Redwood | SPF |
|---|---|---|
| Default condition | — | — |
| Relative cost | $$ Standard | $ Budget |
| Min. machined wall | — | — |
| Best machined surface | — | — |
Redwood vs SPF — frequently asked
Is Redwood stronger than SPF?
Yes. Redwood has a typical tensile strength of 70 MPa (10.2 ksi) against 22 MPa (3.19 ksi) for SPF — about 3.2 times as much.
Which is cheaper, Redwood or SPF?
SPF is the lower-cost material: it sits in the budget tier ($) while Redwood 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, Redwood or SPF?
SPF, by a small margin. Both rate excellent for machinability — 95/100 against 90/100 for Redwood.
Ready to make it?
Upload a CAD file and FabDigit prices the part in Redwood and SPF 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.