Materials / Compare
Plastic UHMWPE vs. Plywood Compare Plastic UHMWPE vs. Plywood 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 Steel 304 Stainless Steel 316 Stainless Steel 303 Stainless Steel 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 UHMWPE 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 Steel 304 Stainless Steel 316 Stainless Steel 303 Stainless Steel 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 20 MPa source typical, tensile stress at yield ISO 527, 50 mm/min not given (tensile used) Ultimate tensile strength 43 MPa source typical, tensile stress at break ISO 527, 50 mm/min 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 465 % source typical, nominal elongation at break ISO 527 not sourced Young's modulus (stiffness) 0.66 GPa source typical, tensile modulus ISO 527, 1 mm/min 7.45 GPa source static bending MOE of the panel (Douglas-fir); range 6.96-8.55 across species Density 930 kg/m³ source typical not sourced Strength to weight 21.5 kN·m/kg not sourced Stiffness to weight 0.71 MN·m/kg not sourced Poisson's ratio not sourced not sourced Shear modulus not sourced not sourced Bulk modulus not sourced not sourced Speed of sound 842 m/s not sourced Thermal Thermal conductivity 0.4 W/m·K source typical, unfilled (narrative value, generic Celanese UHMWPE) 0.12 W/m·K source APA-recommended design value (Douglas-fir plywood), as reported by FPL/ORNL Thermal expansion 200 µm/m·K source typical, 20 to 100 °C (generic Celanese UHMWPE) 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 1,000 µm growth 19 µm growth 52.6x less Specific heat not sourced 1,700 J/kg·K source base material: solid wood (all species), 12% MC, 27 C Heats up and cools (diffusivity) not sourced not sourced Thermal shock resistance not sourced not sourced Melting point 130–138 °C source DSC 10 K/min not sourced Max service temperature 80 °C source recommended max constant operating temperature not sourced Values for Celanese GUR 4120 (avg. molecular weight 4.7x10^6 g/mol), typical values on compression-molded specimens; CTE and thermal conductivity from Celanese's generic UHMWPE guide (grade not named) 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 UHMWPE stronger than Plywood? Plywood is stronger: its tensile strength is 41.4 MPa against yield strength 20 MPa for Plastic UHMWPE (2.07x).
Which is stiffer, Plastic UHMWPE or Plywood? Plywood is stiffer: Young's modulus 7.45 GPa against 0.66 GPa for Plastic UHMWPE, so the same part in Plywood deflects less under the same load.
Which conducts heat better, Plastic UHMWPE or Plywood? Plastic UHMWPE conducts heat better: 0.4 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 200 µm/m·K for Plastic UHMWPE.
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 Steel 304 Stainless Steel 316 Aluminum 6061-T6 Aluminum 7075-T6 Brass C360 Copper C110 Glass Steel AISI 1045 Steel AISI 4340 Steel A992 Stainless Steel 303 Stainless Steel 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 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 UHMWPE 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 Steel 304 Stainless Steel 316 Aluminum 6061-T6 Aluminum 7075-T6 Brass C360 Copper C110 Glass Steel AISI 1045 Steel AISI 4340 Steel A992 Stainless Steel 303 Stainless Steel 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 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 UHMWPE Strength against density