Materials / Compare

Aluminum 6063-T6 vs. Plywood

Compare Aluminum 6063-T6 vs. Plywood strength, stiffness, weight and thermal properties.

Change either side
Aluminum 6063-T6Wrought
PlywoodNatural
Try it on a partA sample part to run stress or thermal on, free in your browserOpen in LessCADOpen in LessCAD
Mechanical
Yield strength215MPasourcetypical, T6, 0.0625 in specimennot given (tensile used)
Ultimate tensile strength240MPasourcetypical, T641.4MPasourcemodulus of rupture (no direct tensile value)
Flexural strengthnot sourced41.4MPasourcestatic bending MOR (Douglas-fir); range 33.72-42.61 across species
Elongation at break12%sourcetypical, T6, in 4Dnot sourced
Young's modulus (stiffness)69GPasourcetypical7.45GPasourcestatic bending MOE of the panel (Douglas-fir); range 6.96-8.55 across species
Density2,700kg/m³sourcenominal, 20 °Cnot sourced
Strength to weight79.6kN·m/kgnot sourced
Stiffness to weight25.6MN·m/kgnot sourced
Poisson's rationot sourcednot sourced
Shear modulusnot sourcednot sourced
Bulk modulusnot sourcednot sourced
Speed of sound5,055m/snot sourced
Thermal
Thermal conductivity201W/m·Ksourcetypical, T6, 20 °C0.12W/m·KsourceAPA-recommended design value (Douglas-fir plywood), as reported by FPL/ORNL
Thermal expansion23.4µm/m·Ksourcetypical, mean 20-100 °C3.1–4.5µm/m·Ksourcebase material: solid wood parallel to grain, ovendry, range across species
100 mm part over a 50 °C swing117µm growth19µm growth6.16x less
Specific heat901J/kg·Ksourcetypical, 20 °C (Hydro EN AW-6063)1,700J/kg·Ksourcebase material: solid wood (all species), 12% MC, 27 C
Heats up and cools (diffusivity)82.6mm²/snot sourced
Thermal shock resistancenot sourcednot sourced
Melting point615–655°Csourcemelting rangenot sourced
Values for6063-T6 extruded tube, Kaiser Aluminum Tube & Pipe Alloy 6063 Technical Data (Rev. 05/06), typical properties; specific heat from Hydro EN AW-6063 extruded-products datasheet (Rev.4, 03/2023).Douglas-fir plywood sheathing (construction plywood per PS 1), static bending properties from USDA FPL Wood Handbook FPL-GTR-282 Ch. 12 Table 12-2 (Biblis 2000)

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 6063-T6 stronger than Plywood?

Aluminum 6063-T6 is stronger: its yield strength is 215 MPa against tensile strength 41.4 MPa for Plywood (5.2x).

Which is stiffer, Aluminum 6063-T6 or Plywood?

Aluminum 6063-T6 is stiffer: Young's modulus 69 GPa against 7.45 GPa for Plywood, so the same part in Aluminum 6063-T6 deflects less under the same load.

Which conducts heat better, Aluminum 6063-T6 or Plywood?

Aluminum 6063-T6 conducts heat better: 201 W/m·K against 0.12 W/m·K for Plywood.

Which expands less with temperature?

Plywood expands less: 3.8 µm/m·K against 23.4 µm/m·K for Aluminum 6063-T6.

Among 72 materials

1k10k0.1110100Density (kg/m³)Young's modulus (GPa)Plastic PLAPlastic PETGPlastic ABSPlastic TPUPlastic NylonAluminumSteelIronTitaniumSteel AISI 1018Stainless Steel 304Stainless Steel 316Aluminum 6061-T6Aluminum 7075-T6Brass C360Copper C110GlassSteel AISI 1045Steel AISI 4340Steel A992Stainless Steel 303Stainless Steel 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 SteelPCB Laminate FR-4SiliconCeramic Alumina 96%Ceramic Aluminum NitrideAluminum A380Aluminum 1100-OAluminum ADC12Magnesium AZ91DSolder SAC305Plastic PBT GF30Plastic PPS GF40Plastic LCP GF30Aluminum 6063-T6
Stiffness against density
1k10k101001kDensity (kg/m³)Yield strength (MPa)Plastic PLAPlastic PETGPlastic ABSPlastic TPUPlastic NylonRubberAluminumSteelIronTitaniumSteel AISI 1018Stainless Steel 304Stainless Steel 316Aluminum 6061-T6Aluminum 7075-T6Brass C360Copper C110GlassSteel AISI 1045Steel AISI 4340Steel A992Stainless Steel 303Stainless Steel 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 SteelBrickPCB Laminate FR-4SiliconCeramic Alumina 96%Aluminum A380Aluminum 1100-OAluminum ADC12Magnesium AZ91DSolder SAC305Plastic PBT GF30Plastic PPS GF40Plastic LCP GF30Aluminum 6063-T6
Strength against density

Related comparisons