Materials / Compare

Aluminum 6061-T6 vs. Wood

Compare Aluminum 6061-T6 vs. Wood strength, stiffness, weight and thermal properties.

Change either side
Aluminum 6061-T6Wrought
WoodNatural
Try it on a partA bracket to run stress or thermal on, free in your browserOpen in LessCADOpen in LessCAD
Mechanical
Yield strength276MPasourcetypical, 0.2% offset, .500 in dia specimennot given (tensile used)
Ultimate tensile strength310MPasourcetypical99MPasourcemodulus of rupture (no direct tensile value)
Compressive strengthnot sourced46.6MPasourcecompression parallel to grain (maximum crushing strength), 12% MC
Flexural strengthnot sourced99MPasourcemodulus of rupture (static bending), 12% MC
Elongation at break17%sourcetypical, in 4D, 0.500 in dia specimennot sourced
Young's modulus (stiffness)68.3GPasourcetypical12.5GPasourcebending MOE, parallel to grain
Density2,700kg/m³sourcenominalnot sourced
Strength to weight102kN·m/kgnot sourced
Stiffness to weight25.3MN·m/kgnot sourced
Poisson's ratio0.33sourcetypical (handbook physical constant)0.35sourcemu_LR (red oak group, ~12% MC)
Shear modulus25.7GPa5.55x stiffer in shear4.63GPa
Bulk modulus67GPa13.9GPa
Speed of sound5,030m/snot sourced
Thermal
Thermal conductivity167W/m·Ksourcetypical, 20 °C0.18W/m·Ksourceacross grain, 12% MC (Table 4-7, approximate)
Thermal expansion23.6µm/m·Ksourcetypical, mean 20-100 °C3.1–4.5µm/m·Ksourceparallel to grain, ovendry wood, range across species
100 mm part over a 50 °C swing118µm growth19µm growth6.21x less
Specific heat896J/kg·Ksourcetypical, at 100 °C1,700J/kg·Ksourcesolid wood (all species), 12% MC, 27 C
Heats up and cools (diffusivity)69mm²/snot sourced
Thermal shock resistance19,159W/m78.6x more resistant244W/m
Melting point582–652°Csourcesolidus-liquidusnot sourced
Values for6061-T6/T651, Kaiser Aluminum typical properties; Poisson from MIL-HDBK-5JNorthern red oak (Quercus rubra), clear straight-grained specimens at 12% MC, parallel to grain unless stated; USDA FPL Wood Handbook FPL-GTR-282 (2021) Ch. 4 and Ch. 5

Every value links to the document that states it. "Not sourced" means no citable source states it (or only a specification minimum); figures computed from it are left out too.

Questions

Is Aluminum 6061-T6 stronger than Wood?

Aluminum 6061-T6 is stronger: its yield strength is 276 MPa against tensile strength 99 MPa for Wood (2.79x).

Which is stiffer, Aluminum 6061-T6 or Wood?

Aluminum 6061-T6 is stiffer: Young's modulus 68.3 GPa against 12.5 GPa for Wood, so the same part in Aluminum 6061-T6 deflects less under the same load.

Which conducts heat better, Aluminum 6061-T6 or Wood?

Aluminum 6061-T6 conducts heat better: 167 W/m·K against 0.18 W/m·K for Wood.

Which expands less with temperature?

Wood expands less: 3.8 µm/m·K against 23.6 µm/m·K for Aluminum 6061-T6.

Among 59 materials

1k10k0.1110100Density (kg/m³)Young's modulus (GPa)Plastic PLAPlastic PETGPlastic ABSPlastic TPUPlastic NylonAluminumSteelIronTitaniumSteel AISI 1018Stainless 304Stainless 316Aluminum 7075-T6Brass C360Copper C110GlassSteel AISI 1045Steel AISI 4340Steel A992Stainless 303Stainless 17-4PHAluminum 2024-T351Aluminum 5052-H32Aluminum 7050-T7451Titanium Ti-6Al-4VBrass C260Nickel Inconel 718Magnesium AZ31B-H24Zinc Zamak 3Plastic ABS (bulk/injection)Plastic PolycarbonatePlastic POM/AcetalPlastic Nylon PA6Plastic Nylon PA66Plastic PEEKPlastic UHMWPEPlastic HDPEPlastic PolypropylenePlastic PMMAFDM ASAFDM PolycarbonateFDM PAHT-CFFDM HIPSSLA Resin Tough 2000SLS PA12 NylonDMLS AlSi10Mg AluminumDMLS Ti-6Al-4V ELI TitaniumDMLS 316L Stainless SteelDMLS 17-4PH Stainless SteelAluminum 6061-T6
Stiffness against density
1k10k101001kDensity (kg/m³)Yield strength (MPa)Plastic PLAPlastic PETGPlastic ABSPlastic TPUPlastic NylonRubberAluminumSteelIronTitaniumSteel AISI 1018Stainless 304Stainless 316Aluminum 7075-T6Brass C360Copper C110GlassSteel AISI 1045Steel AISI 4340Steel A992Stainless 303Stainless 17-4PHAluminum 2024-T351Aluminum 5052-H32Aluminum 7050-T7451Titanium Ti-6Al-4VBrass C260Nickel Inconel 718Magnesium AZ31B-H24Zinc Zamak 3Plastic ABS (bulk/injection)Plastic PolycarbonatePlastic POM/AcetalPlastic Nylon PA6Plastic Nylon PA66Plastic PEEKPlastic PTFEPlastic UHMWPEPlastic HDPEPlastic PolypropylenePlastic PMMAFDM ASAFDM PolycarbonateFDM PAHT-CFFDM HIPSSLA Resin Tough 2000SLA Resin Elastic 50ASLS PA12 NylonDMLS AlSi10Mg AluminumDMLS Ti-6Al-4V ELI TitaniumDMLS 316L Stainless SteelDMLS 17-4PH Stainless SteelBrickAluminum 6061-T6
Strength against density

Related comparisons