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Plastic HDPE vs. Plywood Compare Plastic HDPE vs. Plywood strength, stiffness, weight and thermal properties.
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Plastic PLA Plastic PETG Plastic ABS Plastic TPU Plastic Nylon Plastic ABS (bulk/injection) Plastic Polycarbonate Plastic POM/Acetal Plastic Nylon PA6 Plastic Nylon PA66 Plastic PEEK Plastic PTFE Plastic UHMWPE Plastic HDPE Plastic Polypropylene Plastic PMMA Rubber Wood Aluminum Aluminum 6061-T6 Aluminum 7075-T6 Aluminum 2024-T351 Aluminum 5052-H32 Aluminum 7050-T7451 Steel Steel AISI 1018 Steel AISI 1045 Steel AISI 4340 Steel A992 Iron Titanium Titanium Ti-6Al-4V Stainless 304 Stainless 316 Stainless 303 Stainless 17-4PH Brass C360 Brass C260 Copper C110 Glass Nickel Inconel 718 Magnesium AZ31B-H24 Zinc Zamak 3 FDM ASA FDM Polycarbonate FDM PAHT-CF FDM HIPS SLA Resin Standard SLA Resin Tough 2000 SLA Resin Elastic 50A SLS PA12 Nylon DMLS AlSi10Mg Aluminum DMLS Ti-6Al-4V ELI Titanium DMLS 316L Stainless Steel DMLS 17-4PH Stainless Steel Concrete Brick Plywood Drywall Plastic HDPE Bulk polymer (molded or machined) Plastic PLA Plastic PETG Plastic ABS Plastic TPU Plastic Nylon Plastic ABS (bulk/injection) Plastic Polycarbonate Plastic POM/Acetal Plastic Nylon PA6 Plastic Nylon PA66 Plastic PEEK Plastic PTFE Plastic UHMWPE Plastic HDPE Plastic Polypropylene Plastic PMMA Rubber Wood Aluminum Aluminum 6061-T6 Aluminum 7075-T6 Aluminum 2024-T351 Aluminum 5052-H32 Aluminum 7050-T7451 Steel Steel AISI 1018 Steel AISI 1045 Steel AISI 4340 Steel A992 Iron Titanium Titanium Ti-6Al-4V Stainless 304 Stainless 316 Stainless 303 Stainless 17-4PH Brass C360 Brass C260 Copper C110 Glass Nickel Inconel 718 Magnesium AZ31B-H24 Zinc Zamak 3 FDM ASA FDM Polycarbonate FDM PAHT-CF FDM HIPS SLA Resin Standard SLA Resin Tough 2000 SLA Resin Elastic 50A SLS PA12 Nylon DMLS AlSi10Mg Aluminum DMLS Ti-6Al-4V ELI Titanium DMLS 316L Stainless Steel DMLS 17-4PH Stainless Steel Concrete Brick Plywood Drywall Plywood Natural Try it on a partA sample part to run stress or thermal on, free in your browser Open in LessCAD Open in LessCAD Mechanical Yield strength 24 MPa source typical, tensile stress at yield 23 °C, 50 mm/min ISO 527 not given (tensile used) Ultimate tensile strength not sourced 41.4 MPa source modulus of rupture (no direct tensile value) Flexural strength not sourced 41.4 MPa source static bending MOR (Douglas-fir); range 33.72-42.61 across species Elongation at break not sourced not sourced Young's modulus (stiffness) 0.9 GPa source typical, tensile modulus 23 °C ISO 527 7.45 GPa source static bending MOE of the panel (Douglas-fir); range 6.96-8.55 across species Density 950 kg/m³ source typical, ISO 1183 not sourced Strength to weight 25.3 kN·m/kg not sourced Stiffness to weight 0.947 MN·m/kg not sourced Poisson's ratio 0.4–0.45 source base material: high-density polyethylene family (INEOS Olefins & Polymers USA, Typical Engineering Properties of HDPE) not sourced Shear modulus 0.316 GPa not sourced Bulk modulus 2 GPa not sourced Speed of sound 973 m/s not sourced Thermal Thermal conductivity 0.4–0.49 W/m·K source base material: high-density polyethylene family (INEOS Olefins & Polymers USA, Typical Engineering Properties of HDPE) 0.12 W/m·K source APA-recommended design value (Douglas-fir plywood), as reported by FPL/ORNL Thermal expansion 120 µm/m·K source base material: high-density polyethylene family (INEOS Olefins & Polymers USA, Typical Engineering Properties of HDPE) 3.1–4.5 µm/m·K source base material: solid wood parallel to grain, ovendry, range across species 100 mm part over a 50 °C swing 600 µm growth 19 µm growth 31.6x less Specific heat 2,250 J/kg·K source base material: high-density polyethylene family (INEOS Olefins & Polymers USA, Typical Engineering Properties of HDPE) 1,700 J/kg·K source base material: solid wood (all species), 12% MC, 27 C Heats up and cools (diffusivity) 0.208 mm²/s not sourced Thermal shock resistance 56.9 W/m not sourced Values for LyondellBasell Hostalen 23050 B high density polyethylene, typical ISO values 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 Plastic HDPE stronger than Plywood? Plywood is stronger: its tensile strength is 41.4 MPa against yield strength 24 MPa for Plastic HDPE (1.72x).
Which is stiffer, Plastic HDPE or Plywood? Plywood is stiffer: Young's modulus 7.45 GPa against 0.9 GPa for Plastic HDPE, so the same part in Plywood deflects less under the same load.
Which conducts heat better, Plastic HDPE or Plywood? Plastic HDPE conducts heat better: 0.445 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 120 µm/m·K for Plastic HDPE.
Among 59 materials 1k 10k 0.1 1 10 100 Density (kg/m³) Young's modulus (GPa) Plastic PLA Plastic PETG Plastic ABS Plastic TPU Plastic Nylon Aluminum Steel Iron Titanium Steel AISI 1018 Stainless 304 Stainless 316 Aluminum 6061-T6 Aluminum 7075-T6 Brass C360 Copper C110 Glass Steel AISI 1045 Steel AISI 4340 Steel A992 Stainless 303 Stainless 17-4PH Aluminum 2024-T351 Aluminum 5052-H32 Aluminum 7050-T7451 Titanium Ti-6Al-4V Brass C260 Nickel Inconel 718 Magnesium AZ31B-H24 Zinc Zamak 3 Plastic ABS (bulk/injection) Plastic Polycarbonate Plastic POM/Acetal Plastic Nylon PA6 Plastic Nylon PA66 Plastic PEEK Plastic UHMWPE Plastic Polypropylene Plastic PMMA FDM ASA FDM Polycarbonate FDM PAHT-CF FDM HIPS SLA Resin Tough 2000 SLS PA12 Nylon DMLS AlSi10Mg Aluminum DMLS Ti-6Al-4V ELI Titanium DMLS 316L Stainless Steel DMLS 17-4PH Stainless Steel Plastic HDPE Stiffness against density 1k 10k 10 100 1k Density (kg/m³) Yield strength (MPa) Plastic PLA Plastic PETG Plastic ABS Plastic TPU Plastic Nylon Rubber Aluminum Steel Iron Titanium Steel AISI 1018 Stainless 304 Stainless 316 Aluminum 6061-T6 Aluminum 7075-T6 Brass C360 Copper C110 Glass Steel AISI 1045 Steel AISI 4340 Steel A992 Stainless 303 Stainless 17-4PH Aluminum 2024-T351 Aluminum 5052-H32 Aluminum 7050-T7451 Titanium Ti-6Al-4V Brass C260 Nickel Inconel 718 Magnesium AZ31B-H24 Zinc Zamak 3 Plastic ABS (bulk/injection) Plastic Polycarbonate Plastic POM/Acetal Plastic Nylon PA6 Plastic Nylon PA66 Plastic PEEK Plastic PTFE Plastic UHMWPE Plastic Polypropylene Plastic PMMA FDM ASA FDM Polycarbonate FDM PAHT-CF FDM HIPS SLA Resin Tough 2000 SLA Resin Elastic 50A SLS PA12 Nylon DMLS AlSi10Mg Aluminum DMLS Ti-6Al-4V ELI Titanium DMLS 316L Stainless Steel DMLS 17-4PH Stainless Steel Brick Plastic HDPE Strength against density