Shagbark Hickory wood movement, board-foot & weight calculator
- Janka
- 1,880lbf
- Density
- 50.3lb/ft³
- T/R ratio
- 1.5
- Spec. gravity
- 0.72
Shagbark Hickory is a North American hardwood. It has a Janka side hardness of 1,880 lbf, a specific gravity of 0.72, and an air-dry density near 50 lb/ft³ (806 kg/m³) (mechanical values at 12% moisture content). It shrinks 10.5% tangentially and 7% radially from green to oven-dry (T/R ratio 1.5), so a 12-inch flatsawn board moves about 0.25 in (≈ 1/4 in) across a 6-point moisture swing (about 6%→12% MC).
Compute Shagbark Hickory: movement, weight & board footage
Every number below is worked from Shagbark Hickory'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″ | 0.042″ (≈ 1/32 in) | 0.028″ (≈ 1/32 in) |
| 3″ | 0.063″ (≈ 1/16 in) | 0.042″ (≈ 1/32 in) |
| 4″ | 0.084″ (≈ 3/32 in) | 0.056″ (≈ 1/16 in) |
| 6″ | 0.126″ (≈ 1/8 in) | 0.084″ (≈ 3/32 in) |
| 8″ | 0.168″ (≈ 5/32 in) | 0.112″ (≈ 1/8 in) |
| 10″ | 0.21″ (≈ 7/32 in) | 0.14″ (≈ 1/8 in) |
| 12″ | 0.252″ (≈ 1/4 in) | 0.168″ (≈ 5/32 in) |
| 16″ | 0.336″ (≈ 11/32 in) | 0.224″ (≈ 7/32 in) |
Need a different width or moisture swing? Run the movement calculator preloaded with Shagbark Hickory. At a T/R ratio of 1.5, Shagbark Hickory is stable — it moves moderately more across the face than through the thickness — normal behaviour for a furniture hardwood, and predictable if boards are acclimatised before milling.
Board footage & weight, standard sizes
| Nominal size × length | Board feet | Weight |
|---|---|---|
| 1×4 × 8′ | 2.67 bd ft | 11.2 lb |
| 1×6 × 8′ | 4 bd ft | 16.8 lb |
| 1×8 × 8′ | 5.33 bd ft | 22.4 lb |
| 1×10 × 8′ | 6.67 bd ft | 27.9 lb |
| 1×12 × 8′ | 8 bd ft | 33.5 lb |
| 2×4 × 8′ | 5.33 bd ft | 22.4 lb |
| 2×6 × 8′ | 8 bd ft | 33.5 lb |
| 2×8 × 8′ | 10.67 bd ft | 44.7 lb |
Different length or size? Run the board foot calculator or the weight calculator, both preloaded with Shagbark Hickory.
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 | 0.193″ (≈ 3/16 in) |
| Chicago, IL | May · 12.3% | Dec · 15.1% | 2.8 pts | 0.118″ (≈ 1/8 in) |
| Miami, FL | Apr · 12.2% | Sep · 14.4% | 2.2 pts | 0.092″ (≈ 3/32 in) |
| Boston, MA | Apr · 11.5% | Sep · 12.8% | 1.3 pts | 0.055″ (≈ 1/16 in) |
| Denver, CO | Jul · 8% | Dec · 10.5% | 2.5 pts | 0.105″ (≈ 3/32 in) |
| Seattle, WA | Jul · 12% | Dec · 16.9% | 4.9 pts | 0.206″ (≈ 7/32 in) |
Driven by Shagbark Hickory's tangential shrinkage of 10.5%. These are outdoor equilibrium-moisture figures, so they are an upper bound — a climate-controlled interior swings less. How this is calculated.
How Shagbark Hickory compares
Ranked against the 196 species in the Wood Handbook tables this site carries.
- Hardness: at 1,880 lbf, Shagbark Hickory is harder than 86% of the 157 species with a Janka figure — firmly in the hard quarter, which is what resists denting in flooring and worktops.
- Weight: at 50.3 lb/ft³ it is heavier than 88% of the 170 species measured — an 8-foot 1×6 board weighs about 16.8 lb.
- Stability: its T/R ratio of 1.5 is more even than 84% of the 196 species here — as humidity changes, 16% of them hold their shape more evenly.
See Shagbark Hickory plotted against every species we carry: the full Janka hardness chart and the full density chart .
Species with a similar working profile
Closest matches on hardness, weight and stability together — useful when Shagbark Hickory is unavailable or priced out.
- Black Locust is a common substitute for Shagbark Hickory : 10% softer, about the same weight, and similarly stable in service.
- Jarrah is a common substitute for Shagbark Hickory : nearly identical hardness, about the same weight, and similarly stable in service.
- Honeylocust is a common substitute for Shagbark Hickory : 16% softer, 17% lighter, and similarly stable in service.
- Pecan Hickory is a common substitute for Shagbark Hickory : nearly identical hardness, about the same weight, and less stable in service.
| Species | Janka | Density | T/R |
|---|---|---|---|
| Black Locust | 1,700 lbf | 48.2 | 1.57 |
| Jarrah | 1,910 lbf | 46.8 | 1.43 |
| Honeylocust | 1,580 lbf | 41.9 | 1.57 |
| Pecan Hickory | 1,820 lbf | 46.1 | 1.82 |
About Shagbark Hickory
The Wood Handbook describes Shagbark Hickory as part of the Hickory (True Hickory Group); the account below is of that group, which Shagbark Hickory belongs to.
True hickories are found throughout the eastern half of the United States. The species most important commercially are shagbark (Carya ovata), pignut (C. glabra), shellbark (C. laciniosa), and mockernut (C. tomentosa). The greatest commercial production of the true hickories for all uses is in the Middle Atlantic and Central States, with the Southern and South Atlantic States rapidly expanding to handle nearly half of all hickory lumber. The sapwood of the true hickory group is white and usually quite wide, except in old, slow-growing trees. The heartwood is reddish. The wood is exceptionally tough, heavy, hard, and strong, and shrinks considerably in drying. For some purposes, both weight and rings per centimeter (or inch) are limiting factors where strength is important. The major use for high quality hickory is for tool handles, which require high shock resistance. It is also used for ladder rungs, athletic goods, agricultural implements, dowels, gymnasium apparatuses, poles, and furniture. Lower grade hickory is not suitable for the special uses of high quality hickory because of knottiness or other growth features and low density. However, the lower grade is useful for pallets and similar items. Hickory sawdust, chips, and some solid wood are used to flavor meat by smoking.
Durability & sustainability
CITES status: not listed on any CITES Appendix — no international-trade restriction applies to Shagbark Hickory.
Properties
| Specific gravity | 0.72 |
|---|---|
| Janka hardness (side) | 1,880 lbf |
| Density (air-dry, 12% MC) | 50.3 lb/ft³ (806 kg/m³) ovendry-weight basis: 44.9 lb/ft³ |
| Weight per board foot (air-dry) | 4.19 lb |
| Radial shrinkage (green→oven-dry) | 7% |
| Tangential shrinkage (green→oven-dry) | 10.5% |
| Volumetric shrinkage (green→oven-dry) | 16.7% |
| T/R ratio (stability indicator) | 1.5 |
Shrinkage is total green-to-oven-dry (Table 4-3); 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.