Materials / Compare
Plastic PLA vs. Wood Compare Plastic PLA vs. Wood strength, stiffness, weight and thermal properties.
Change either side
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 PLA 3D printed (FDM) 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 Wood Natural Try it on a partA bracket to run stress or thermal on, free in your browser Open in LessCAD Open in LessCAD Mechanical Yield strength 52.5 MPa source typical not given (tensile used) Ultimate tensile strength 52.5 MPa source typical, peak stress (= stress at yield) 99 MPa source modulus of rupture (no direct tensile value) Compressive strength not sourced 46.6 MPa source compression parallel to grain (maximum crushing strength), 12% MC Flexural strength 96.8 MPa source typical 99 MPa source modulus of rupture (static bending), 12% MC Elongation at break 7.8 % source typical not sourced Young's modulus (stiffness) 3.25 GPa source typical 12.5 GPa source bending MOE, parallel to grain Density 1,240 kg/m³ source typical not sourced Strength to weight 42.3 kN·m/kg not sourced Stiffness to weight 2.62 MN·m/kg not sourced Poisson's ratio not sourced 0.35 source mu_LR (red oak group, ~12% MC) Shear modulus not sourced 4.63 GPa Bulk modulus not sourced 13.9 GPa Speed of sound 1,619 m/s not sourced Thermal Thermal conductivity 0.13 W/m·K source base material: NatureWorks Ingeo biopolymer, amorphous sheet, 25 °C 0.18 W/m·K source across grain, 12% MC (Table 4-7, approximate) Thermal expansion not sourced 3.1–4.5 µm/m·K source parallel to grain, ovendry wood, range across species 100 mm part over a 50 °C swing not sourced 19 µm growth Specific heat 1,200 J/kg·K source base material: NatureWorks Ingeo biopolymer, amorphous sheet, 25 °C 1,700 J/kg·K source solid wood (all species), 12% MC, 27 C Heats up and cools (diffusivity) 0.0874 mm²/s not sourced Thermal shock resistance not sourced 244 W/m Melting point 152 °C source typical not sourced Glass transition 59.1 °C source typical not sourced Max service temperature 58.8 °C source HDT 0.455 MPa (printed specimens) not sourced Values for Ultimaker PLA, 3D-printed specimens, XY (flat) orientation; Ultimaker S5 Pro, engineering intent profile, 0.15 mm layer height, AA 0.4 print core, 100% infill, Cura 4.9, printed one-at-a-time, conditioned >=24 h at room temperature. TDS dated April 20, 2022. Northern 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.
Plastic PLA is 3D printed: its properties depend on build direction and print settings; these are typical values.
Questions Is Plastic PLA stronger than Wood? Wood is stronger: its tensile strength is 99 MPa against yield strength 52.5 MPa for Plastic PLA (1.89x).
Which is stiffer, Plastic PLA or Wood? Wood is stiffer: Young's modulus 12.5 GPa against 3.25 GPa for Plastic PLA, so the same part in Wood deflects less under the same load.
Which conducts heat better, Plastic PLA or Wood? Wood conducts heat better: 0.18 W/m·K against 0.13 W/m·K for Plastic PLA.
Among 59 materials 1k 10k 0.1 1 10 100 Density (kg/m³) Young's modulus (GPa) 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 HDPE 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 PLA Stiffness against density 1k 10k 10 100 1k Density (kg/m³) Yield strength (MPa) 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 HDPE 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 PLA Strength against density