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Plywood vs. Plastic PMMA

Compare Plywood vs. Plastic PMMA strength, stiffness, weight and thermal properties.

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PlywoodNatural
Plastic PMMABulk polymer (molded or machined)
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Mechanical
Yield strengthnot given (tensile used)not given (tensile used)
Ultimate tensile strength41.4MPasourcemodulus of rupture (no direct tensile value)80MPasourcetypical, 23 °C
Compressive strengthnot sourced110MPasourcecompressive yield stress, typical
Flexural strength41.4MPasourcestatic bending MOR (Douglas-fir); range 33.72-42.61 across species115MPasourcetypical
Elongation at breaknot sourced5.5%sourcetypical
Young's modulus (stiffness)7.45GPasourcestatic bending MOE of the panel (Douglas-fir); range 6.96-8.55 across species3.3GPasourcetypical, short-term
Densitynot sourced1,190kg/m³sourcetypical
Strength to weightnot sourced67.2kN·m/kg
Stiffness to weightnot sourced2.77MN·m/kg
Poisson's rationot sourced0.37sourcetypical
Shear modulusnot sourced1.2GPa
Bulk modulusnot sourced4.23GPa
Speed of soundnot sourced1,665m/s
Thermal
Thermal conductivity0.12W/m·KsourceAPA-recommended design value (Douglas-fir plywood), as reported by FPL/ORNL0.19W/m·Ksourcetypical
Thermal expansion3.1–4.5µm/m·Ksourcebase material: solid wood parallel to grain, ovendry, range across species70µm/m·Ksource0-50 °C
100 mm part over a 50 °C swing19µm growth18.4x less350µm growth
Specific heat1,700J/kg·Ksourcebase material: solid wood (all species), 12% MC, 27 C1,470J/kg·Ksourcetypical
Heats up and cools (diffusivity)not sourced0.109mm²/s
Thermal shock resistancenot sourced41.5W/m
Max service temperaturenot sourced80°Csourcemax. permanent service temperature
Values forDouglas-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)Röhm PLEXIGLAS GS 0F00 cast acrylic sheet, typical values at 23 °C / 50 % RH (Röhm Technical Information Ref. No. 211-1)

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 Plywood stronger than Plastic PMMA?

Plastic PMMA is stronger: its tensile strength is 80 MPa against 41.4 MPa for Plywood (1.93x).

Which is stiffer, Plywood or Plastic PMMA?

Plywood is stiffer: Young's modulus 7.45 GPa against 3.3 GPa for Plastic PMMA, so the same part in Plywood deflects less under the same load.

Which conducts heat better, Plywood or Plastic PMMA?

Plastic PMMA conducts heat better: 0.19 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 70 µm/m·K for Plastic PMMA.

Among 59 materials

1k10k0.1110100Density (kg/m³)Young's modulus (GPa)Plastic PLAPlastic PETGPlastic ABSPlastic TPUPlastic NylonAluminumSteelIronTitaniumSteel AISI 1018Stainless 304Stainless 316Aluminum 6061-T6Aluminum 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 PolypropyleneFDM ASAFDM PolycarbonateFDM PAHT-CFFDM HIPSSLA Resin Tough 2000SLS PA12 NylonDMLS AlSi10Mg AluminumDMLS Ti-6Al-4V ELI TitaniumDMLS 316L Stainless SteelDMLS 17-4PH Stainless SteelPlastic PMMA
Stiffness against density
1k10k101001kDensity (kg/m³)Yield strength (MPa)Plastic PLAPlastic PETGPlastic ABSPlastic TPUPlastic NylonRubberAluminumSteelIronTitaniumSteel AISI 1018Stainless 304Stainless 316Aluminum 6061-T6Aluminum 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 PolypropyleneFDM 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 SteelBrickPlastic PMMA
Strength against density

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