Materials / Compare
Plywood vs. Steel Compare Plywood vs. Steel 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 Plywood Natural 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 Steel Wrought 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 not given (tensile used) 385 MPa source typical: mean of 20,295 A992 flange mill-test coupons (1998 SSPC survey), as reported by AISC Ultimate tensile strength 41.4 MPa source modulus of rupture (no direct tensile value) 505 MPa source typical: mean of 20,295 A992 flange mill-test coupons (1998 SSPC survey) Flexural strength 41.4 MPa source static bending MOR (Douglas-fir); range 33.72-42.61 across species not sourced Elongation at break not sourced not sourced Young's modulus (stiffness) 7.45 GPa source static bending MOE of the panel (Douglas-fir); range 6.96-8.55 across species 200 GPa source design value (AISC 360-16) Density not sourced 7,850 kg/m³ source nominal (constructional data) Strength to weight not sourced 49 kN·m/kg Stiffness to weight not sourced 25.5 MN·m/kg Poisson's ratio not sourced 0.3 source design value (AISC 360-16 Commentary) Shear modulus not sourced 76.9 GPa Bulk modulus not sourced 167 GPa Speed of sound not sourced 5,048 m/s Thermal Thermal conductivity 0.12 W/m·K source APA-recommended design value (Douglas-fir plywood), as reported by FPL/ORNL 48 W/m·K source nominal at 20 °C Thermal expansion 3.1–4.5 µm/m·K source base material: solid wood parallel to grain, ovendry, range across species 12 µm/m·K source nominal (constructional data, no temperature range stated) 100 mm part over a 50 °C swing 19 µm growth 3.16x less 60 µm growth Specific heat 1,700 J/kg·K source base material: solid wood (all species), 12% MC, 27 C 460–480 J/kg·K source base material: EN S275JR unalloyed structural steel (the EN counterpart of A36), typical, 50/100 °C Heats up and cools (diffusivity) not sourced 13 mm²/s Thermal shock resistance not sourced 5,390 W/m Values for 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) Generic structural steel, cited as ASTM A992 (the current US structural grade): ASTM A992 W-shapes; Fy/Fu specified minimums from AISC publications (AISC 360-16 Commentary; Modern Steel Construction); elastic constants AISC 360; physical constants from the bauforumstahl structural-steel EPD, which names A992 among covered product standards.
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 Steel? Steel is stronger: its yield strength is 385 MPa against tensile strength 41.4 MPa for Plywood (9.31x).
Which is stiffer, Plywood or Steel? Steel is stiffer: Young's modulus 200 GPa against 7.45 GPa for Plywood, so the same part in Steel deflects less under the same load.
Which conducts heat better, Plywood or Steel? Steel conducts heat better: 48 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 12 µm/m·K for Steel.
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 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 Steel 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 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 Steel Strength against density