Greenheart wood movement, board-foot & weight calculator
- Janka
- 2,350lbf
- Density
- 55.9lb/ft³
- T/R ratio
- 1.1
- Spec. gravity
- 0.8
Greenheart (Ocotea rodiaei) is an imported species. It has a Janka side hardness of 2,350 lbf, a specific gravity of 0.8, and an air-dry density near 56 lb/ft³ (895 kg/m³) (mechanical values at 12% moisture content). It shrinks 9.6% tangentially and 8.8% radially from green to oven-dry (T/R ratio 1.1), so a 12-inch flatsawn board moves about 0.23 in (≈ 7/32 in) across a 6-point moisture swing (about 6%→12% MC).
Compute Greenheart: movement, weight & board footage
Every number below is worked from Greenheart's own shrinkage and density figures, not looked up from a table — change the width, moisture swing, or board size in the calculators linked alongside.
Cross-grain movement by board width
| Board width | Flatsawn (tangential) | Quartersawn (radial) |
|---|---|---|
| 2″ | 0.038″ (≈ 1/32 in) | 0.035″ (≈ 1/32 in) |
| 3″ | 0.058″ (≈ 1/16 in) | 0.053″ (≈ 1/16 in) |
| 4″ | 0.077″ (≈ 1/16 in) | 0.07″ (≈ 1/16 in) |
| 6″ | 0.115″ (≈ 1/8 in) | 0.106″ (≈ 3/32 in) |
| 8″ | 0.154″ (≈ 5/32 in) | 0.141″ (≈ 5/32 in) |
| 10″ | 0.192″ (≈ 3/16 in) | 0.176″ (≈ 3/16 in) |
| 12″ | 0.23″ (≈ 7/32 in) | 0.211″ (≈ 7/32 in) |
| 16″ | 0.307″ (≈ 5/16 in) | 0.282″ (≈ 9/32 in) |
Need a different width or moisture swing? Run the movement calculator preloaded with Greenheart. At a T/R ratio of 1.09, Greenheart is very stable — it moves almost as much radially as tangentially, so flatsawn boards have little reason to cup and wide panels stay flat with ordinary care.
Board footage & weight, standard sizes
| Nominal size × length | Board feet | Weight |
|---|---|---|
| 1×4 × 8′ | 2.67 bd ft | 12.4 lb |
| 1×6 × 8′ | 4 bd ft | 18.6 lb |
| 1×8 × 8′ | 5.33 bd ft | 24.8 lb |
| 1×10 × 8′ | 6.67 bd ft | 31.1 lb |
| 1×12 × 8′ | 8 bd ft | 37.3 lb |
| 2×4 × 8′ | 5.33 bd ft | 24.8 lb |
| 2×6 × 8′ | 8 bd ft | 37.3 lb |
| 2×8 × 8′ | 10.67 bd ft | 49.7 lb |
Different length or size? Run the board foot calculator or the weight calculator, both preloaded with Greenheart.
Seasonal movement by city
| City | Driest month (EMC) | Most-humid month (EMC) | EMC swing | 12″ board movement |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Phoenix, AZ | Jun · 4.4% | Dec · 9% | 4.6 pts | 0.177″ (≈ 3/16 in) |
| Chicago, IL | May · 12.3% | Dec · 15.1% | 2.8 pts | 0.108″ (≈ 3/32 in) |
| Miami, FL | Apr · 12.2% | Sep · 14.4% | 2.2 pts | 0.084″ (≈ 3/32 in) |
| Boston, MA | Apr · 11.5% | Sep · 12.8% | 1.3 pts | 0.05″ (≈ 1/16 in) |
| Denver, CO | Jul · 8% | Dec · 10.5% | 2.5 pts | 0.096″ (≈ 3/32 in) |
| Seattle, WA | Jul · 12% | Dec · 16.9% | 4.9 pts | 0.188″ (≈ 3/16 in) |
Driven by Greenheart's tangential shrinkage of 9.6%. These are outdoor equilibrium-moisture figures, so they are an upper bound — a climate-controlled interior swings less. How this is calculated.
How Greenheart compares
Ranked against the 196 species in the Wood Handbook tables this site carries.
- Hardness: at 2,350 lbf, Greenheart is harder than 92% of the 157 species with a Janka figure — firmly in the hard quarter, which is what resists denting in flooring and worktops.
- Weight: at 55.9 lb/ft³ it is heavier than 93% of the 170 species measured — an 8-foot 1×6 board weighs about 18.6 lb.
- Stability: its T/R ratio of 1.09 is more even than 99% of the 196 species here — as humidity changes, 1% of them hold their shape more evenly.
See Greenheart plotted against every species we carry: the full Janka hardness chart and the full density chart .
About Greenheart
Greenheart (Chlorocardium rodiei) is essentially a Guyana tree, although small stands also occur in Suriname. The heartwood varies from light to dark olive green or nearly black. The texture is fine and uniform, and the grain is straight to wavy. Greenheart is stronger and stiffer than white oak (Quercus alba) and generally more difficult to work with tools because of its high density; density of air-dried wood is more than 960 kg m–3 (60 lb ft–3). The heartwood is rated as very resistant to decay fungi and termites. It is also very resistant to marine borers in temperate waters but much less so in warm tropical waters. Greenheart is used principally where strength and resistance to wear are required. Uses include ship and dock building, lock gates, wharves, piers, jetties, vats, piling, planking, industrial flooring, bridges, and some specialty items (fishing rods and billiard cue butts).
Durability & sustainability
Decay resistance: the Wood Handbook rates Greenheart heartwood very resistant to fungal decay . Ratings are for heartwood only and the table's own note cautions that resistance varies substantially within a species; treat this as a general indicator, not a guarantee, especially for ground contact. Wood Handbook, Chapter 14: Biodeterioration of Wood (Arango, Lebow, Glaeser), USDA Forest Products Laboratory, FPL-GTR-282 (2021), Table 14-1. Public domain.
Properties
| Specific gravity | 0.8 |
|---|---|
| Janka hardness (side) | 2,350 lbf |
| Density (air-dry, 12% MC) | 55.9 lb/ft³ (895 kg/m³) ovendry-weight basis: 49.9 lb/ft³ |
| Weight per board foot (air-dry) | 4.66 lb |
| Radial shrinkage (green→oven-dry) | 8.8% |
| Tangential shrinkage (green→oven-dry) | 9.6% |
| Volumetric shrinkage (green→oven-dry) | 17.1% |
| T/R ratio (stability indicator) | 1.1 |
Shrinkage is total green-to-oven-dry (Table 4-4); strength values are at 12% MC. Full bases and the derivation formulas are on the methodology page.
Data: USDA Forest Products Laboratory, Wood Handbook FPL-GTR-282 (2021), public domain.