Materials / Compare
Stainless 304 vs. Wood
Compare Stainless 304 vs. Wood strength, stiffness, weight and thermal properties.
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|---|---|---|
| Mechanical | ||
| Yield strength | 241MPasourcetypical, annealed, 70 °F (21 °C) | not given (tensile used) |
| Ultimate tensile strength | 586MPasourcetypical, annealed, 70 °F (21 °C) | 99MPasourcemodulus of rupture (no direct tensile value) |
| Compressive strength | not sourced | 46.6MPasourcecompression parallel to grain (maximum crushing strength), 12% MC |
| Flexural strength | not sourced | 99MPasourcemodulus of rupture (static bending), 12% MC |
| Elongation at break | 55%sourcetypical, annealed, in 2 in. (50.8 mm) | not sourced |
| Young's modulus (stiffness) | 193GPasourcetypical, in tension | 12.5GPasourcebending MOE, parallel to grain |
| Density | 8,030kg/m³sourcetypical | not sourced |
| Strength to weight | 30kN·m/kg | not sourced |
| Stiffness to weight | 24MN·m/kg | not sourced |
| Poisson's ratio | 0.3sourcedesign value (structural stainless steels) | 0.35sourcemu_LR (red oak group, ~12% MC) |
| Shear modulus | 74.2GPa16x stiffer in shear | 4.63GPa |
| Bulk modulus | 161GPa | 13.9GPa |
| Speed of sound | 4,903m/s | not sourced |
| Thermal | ||
| Thermal conductivity | 16.2W/m·Ksourceat 100 °C | 0.18W/m·Ksourceacross grain, 12% MC (Table 4-7, approximate) |
| Thermal expansion | 16.9µm/m·Ksourcemean, 0–100 °C | 3.1–4.5µm/m·Ksourceparallel to grain, ovendry wood, range across species |
| 100 mm part over a 50 °C swing | 84.5µm growth | 19µm growth4.45x less |
| Specific heat | 500J/kg·Ksourcemean, 0–100 °C | 1,700J/kg·Ksourcesolid wood (all species), 12% MC, 27 C |
| Heats up and cools (diffusivity) | 4.03mm²/s | not sourced |
| Thermal shock resistance | 838W/m3.44x more resistant | 244W/m |
| Melting point | 1,399–1,454°Csourcemelting range | not sourced |
| Max service temperature | 899°Csourcecontinuous, oxidation (scaling) limit in air | not sourced |
| Values for | Type 304, annealed flat-rolled (Cleveland-Cliffs 304/304L Product Data Bulletin, May 2021); Poisson's ratio from the Nickel Institute/SCI structural stainless design manual | 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.
Questions
Is Stainless 304 stronger than Wood?
Stainless 304 is stronger: its yield strength is 241 MPa against tensile strength 99 MPa for Wood (2.43x).
Which is stiffer, Stainless 304 or Wood?
Stainless 304 is stiffer: Young's modulus 193 GPa against 12.5 GPa for Wood, so the same part in Stainless 304 deflects less under the same load.
Which conducts heat better, Stainless 304 or Wood?
Stainless 304 conducts heat better: 16.2 W/m·K against 0.18 W/m·K for Wood.
Which expands less with temperature?
Wood expands less: 3.8 µm/m·K against 16.9 µm/m·K for Stainless 304.