If a species is not footnoted with a number (1-18), then the specific gravity for that species has not been verified by Wagner. In most cases, with unverified species, these species have the same botanical name as the verified version but just a different common name. Many species (botanical name) in the world have many different common names. The footnote descriptions are shown at the bottom of the page.*

Wood Species Types in Alphabetical Order

To obtain the most accurate moisture content measurements with your Wagner moisture meter, you must set the meter for the correct species settings value for the species you are going to measure. For our customers' convenience, we have calibrated our meter's species settings in terms of specific gravity.*

For those instances where you need to measure moisture in a wood species that is not shown in your User’s Manual, Wagner has compiled this extensive database of wood species with their associated specific gravity values.

The sources for our database include the United States Department of Agriculture, Forest Products Laboratory.

The published specific gravity values are the average for each species. There can and will be some variability of the specific gravity (density) within any species of wood, but the average specific gravity value (again, from the most valid published sources) will provide the best settings for your Wagner moisture meter.

Common NameBotanical NameSpecific GravityVerified
Guibourtia ehie0.71
Gabon Tulip TreeSpathodea campanulata0.25
Gad pipalPopulus ciliata0.37
GagilHopea iriana0.80
GagilHopea odorata0.63
GagilKoordersiodendron pinnatum0.71
Turraeanthus africanus0.51
GallaCupressus torulosa0.47
Abies balsamea0.35
GalumpitHeritiera javanica0.65
Pometia pinnata0.60
GambiriAleurites moluccana0.14
Gan man nagaCatostemma fragrans0.66
GangauMesua ferrea0.92
GangawMesua ferrea0.92
GangwaExcoecaria agallocha0.42
GaramutVitex cofassus0.67
GarisKoompassia malaccensis0.76
Garry oakQuercus garryanna0.68
GaruExcoecaria agallocha0.42
Garu-buajaGonystylus macrophyllum0.54
GarugaGaruga pinnata0.51
Pometia pinnata0.60
Astronium graveolens0.89
Astronium graveolens0.80
GateadoSickingia salvadorense0.65
Swietenia macrophylla0.47
GateadoSwietenia mahagoni0.57
GauPiptadeniastrum africanum0.63
Hymenaea courbaril0.83
GauriPolyalthia fragans0.46
GavetilloAspidosperma desmanthum0.65
GawasaVitex cofassus0.67
GawiAnisoptera costata0.52
GayacDipteryx odorata0.82
Gayac de cayenneeDipteryx odorata0.82
GayalDipteryx odorata0.82
GbaBeilschmiedia mannii0.62
Terminalia superba0.40
GbasiTerminalia ivorensis0.54
GbawoMusanga cecropioides0.23
GbeiBeilschmiedia mannii0.62
GbeleIrvingia gabonensis0.76
Gboko nisaBeilschmiedia mannii0.62
GborduorhBerlinia acuminata0.64
GbweiBeilschmiedia mannii0.62
GeanPrunus avium0.5813
Pinus sylvestris0.45
GehChlorophora excelsa0.70
GelamSyzygium buettnerianum0.73
Gelso biancoMorus alba0.60
Gelupang batuHeritiera javanica0.65
Pometia pinnata0.60
GemarisKoompassia malaccensis0.76
GembrisKoompassia malaccensis0.76
GemerisKoompassia malaccensis0.76
GenuineCinnamomum camphora0.38
GeonExcoecaria agallocha0.42
GeorExcoecaria agallocha0.42
Pinus palustris0.59
Pinus palustris0.59
GeremoHeritiera javanica0.65
GeriaExcoecaria agallocha0.42
GeringgingMelia azedarach0.51
GerokBucklandia populnea0.56
GevaExcoecaria agallocha0.42
Gevlambe bostamarindeMarmaroxylon racemosum1.07
GewaExcoecaria agallocha0.42
Triplochiton scleroxylon0.32
Guibourtia ehie0.71
Triplochiton scleroxylon0.32
Ghana walnutLovoa trichiliodes0.46
GhiriyaChloroxylon swietenia0.88
Prunus serotina0.50
GhugholeIntsia bijuga0.65
Pometia pinnata0.60
Swietenia macrophylla0.47
Thuja plicata0.32
Thuja plicata0.32
Thuja plicata0.32
Giant chinkapinCastanopsis chrysophylla0.44
Abies grandis0.37
Thuja plicata0.32
Pinus lambertiana0.36
Prunus serotina0.50
Pometia pinnata0.60
Ginja hoehoeTerminalia amazonia0.76
GinooKoompassia excelsa0.75
GinsekAnisoptera curtisii0.52
Chamaecyparis lawsoniana0.43
Pterocarpus angolensis0.59
GluMusanga cecropioides0.23
GlutaMelanorrhoea spp.0.75
Go nuoeIntsia palembanica0.65
Go nvoeIntsia bijuga0.65
GofassaVitex cofassus0.67
GofileiTieghemella heckelii0.60
GoiAglaia gigantea0.54
Goi tiaAglaia gigantea0.54
Betula alleghaniensis0.62
Golden chestnutCastanopsis chrysophylla0.44
Golden dealDoryphora sassafras0.49
Golden ebonyDiospyros celebica0.9013
Abies magnifica0.38
Robinia pseudoacacia0.69
Golden spoonByrsonima coriacea0.68
Plathymenia reticulata0.56
Goli karamMitragyna parvifolia0.59
Hymenaea courbaril0.83
Goma amarillaVochysia lehmanni0.52
Goma amarillaVochysia tomentosa0.52
GombeiraSwartzia leiocalycina1.004
Hymenaea courbaril0.83
GomoVochysia lehmanni0.52
GomoVochysia tomentosa0.52
GomorrowDipteryx odorata0.82
Goncalo alvesAstronium graveolens0.8919
Goncalo alvesAstronium graveolens0.8019
GonfoloQualea albiflora0.54
GonfoloQualea paraensis0.58
Gonfolo RoseQualea paraensis0.58
Go-nuoeIntsia bijuga0.65
GonyerGrewia elastica0.63
Goodding willowSalix alba0.38
Salix nigra0.39
GoraciKoompassia malaccensis0.76
GoreMitragyna parvifolia0.59
Goria nimCedrela toona0.47
Goum ne wetAleurites moluccana0.14
Goure karamMitragyna parvifolia0.59
GovwiMusanga cecropioides0.23
Gox nuwowseIntsia bijuga0.65
Pometia pinnata0.60
GranPicea abies0.43
Gran cashewAnacardium excelsum0.33
Platymiscium pinnatum0.87
Swietenia macrophylla0.47
Grand FirAbies grandis0.371
GravileaGrevillea robusta0.54
GrawaCedrela toona0.47
Betula alleghaniensis0.62
Ulmus rubra0.53
Tsuga heterophylla0.45
Acer pseudoplatanus0.57
Quercus rubra0.63
Pinus banksiana0.43
Great mapleAcer pseudoplatanus0.5713
Abies amabilis0.43
Pinus lambertiana0.36
Fraxinus americana0.60
Green AshFraxinus pennsylvanica0.561
Liriodendron tulipifera0.42
Robinia pseudoacacia0.69
Tabebuia serratifolia0.99
GreirlleaGrevillea robusta0.54
Tabebuia serratifolia0.99
GrevileaGrevillea robusta0.54
GreviliaGrevillea robusta0.54
GrevilleaGrevillea robusta0.54
Grey alderAlnus glutinosa0.41
Grey alderAlnus nepalensis0.26
Grey boxEucalyptus hemiphloia0.93
Tsuga heterophylla0.45
Pinus banksiana0.43
Grey sassafrasDoryphora sassafras0.49
Tabebuia serratifolia0.99
Grignon FouQualea albiflora0.54
Grignon fouQualea paraensis0.58
Grignon fouVochysia ferruginea0.52
Grignon fouVochysia guianensis0.52
GroenhartTabebuia serratifolia0.994
Tabebuia serratifolia0.99
GronfoeloeQualea paraensis0.58
GronfoloQualea albiflora0.54
Groot locusDipteryx odorata0.82
GrumixavaMicropholis guianensis0.67
GuabaTerminalia amazonia0.76
GuachapelePseudosamanea guachapele0.58
GuachapeliPseudosamanea guachapele0.58
GuacharacoTerminalia amazonia0.76
GuacimilCordia alliodora0.51
GuamarilloPseudosamanea guachapele0.58
Guanacaste
Enterolobium cyclocarpum
0.354
Hymenaea courbaril0.83
Hymenaea courbaril0.83
GuarabœPeltogyne venosa0.69
Astronium graveolens0.89
Astronium graveolens0.80
GuarabuPeltogyne porphyrocardia0.69
GuaraburajadoPeltogyne venosa0.69
Astronium graveolens0.89
Astronium graveolens0.80
GuarubaQualea albiflora0.54
Astronium graveolens0.89
Astronium graveolens0.80
Guasimo nogalCordia alliodora0.51
Turraeanthus africanus0.51
Guatambu (Brazil)Balfourodendron riedelianum0.7911
Guatambu (Argentinean)Balfourodendron riedelianum0.7011
Swietenia macrophylla0.47
GuatusoTerminalia amazonia0.76
GuayaboTerminalia amazonia0.76
GuayaboTerminalia amazonica0.76
GuayaboTerminalia guyanensis0.60
Guayabo de montanaTerminalia guyanensis0.60
Guayabo leonTerminalia amazonia0.76
Guayabo leonTerminalia amazonica0.76
Guayabo negroTerminalia amazonia0.76
GuayabonTerminalia amazonia0.76
GuayacanGuaiacum spp.1.2610
GuayacanMinquartia guianensis0.83
GuayacanTabebuia serratifolia0.994
Guayacan pechMinquartia guianensis0.83
Guayacan pechicheMinquartia guianensis0.83
Tabebuia serratifolia0.99
GuayoTerminalia guyanensis0.60
GubasEndospermum macrophyllum0.41
GueLophira alata0.94
Guela-chinaManilkara zapota0.71
Gueladao guenda-chinaManilkara zapota0.71
GueleChlorophora excelsa0.70
Guenda-guinaManilkara zapota0.71
GuendaxinaManilkara zapota0.71
GuhChlorophora excelsa0.70
GuiMitragyna parvifolia0.59
GuibaIrvingia gabonensis0.76
GuijoShorea guiso0.75
GuimaMusanga cecropioides0.23
GuingamadouVirola surinamensis0.51
GuinguamadouVirola surinamensis0.51
GuissepaMansonia altissima0.55
Pterocarpus soyauxii0.64
Pinus elliottii0.59
Taxodium distichum0.46
GuliPiptadeniastrum africanum0.63
GullaCupressus torulosa0.47
GulraiCupressus torulosa0.47
Liquidambar styraciflua0.52
Nyssa aquatica0.50
Gum copalDaniella thurifera0.46
Nyssa aquatica0.50
Liquidambar styraciflua0.52
Hymenaea courbaril0.83
Juglans nigra0.55
Tabebuia serratifolia0.99
GupasaVitex cofassus0.67
GupasaVitex parviflora0.68
GupitPygeum turnerianum0.44
GuriMitragyna parvifolia0.59
Astronium graveolens0.89
Astronium graveolens0.80
Astronium graveolens0.89
Astronium graveolens0.80
GutumbaChlorophora excelsa0.70
GuyabilloTerminalia amazonia0.76
Guyana cedarCedrela odorata0.394
Guyana ebonySwartzia leiocalycina1.004
GwaTieghemella heckelii0.60
GyabizitoPygeum africanum0.61
Turraeanthus africanus0.51
Gympie messmateEucalyptus cloeziana0.80

Footnotes:

1Forest Products Laboratory Wood Handbook @ 12% MC values
2Forest Products Laboratory Wood Handbook Calculated from Green MC values by Wagner
3Forest Products Laboratory Techsheets Calculated from Green MC values by Wagner
4WoodWorkersSource Wood Library Calculated from Green MC values by Wagner
5We included Douglas-fir(Pseudotsuga menziesii) Coast (.48)*, Interior West (.50)*, Interior North (.48)*, Interior South (.46)* to come up with an average SG of (.48)* *“Coast type Douglas-fir is defined as Douglas-fir growing in the States of Oregon and Washington west of the summit of the Cascade Mountains. Interior West includes the State of California and all counties in Oregon and Washington east of but adjacent to the Cascade summit. Interior North includes the remainder of Oregon and Washington and the States of Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming.” Specific Gravity resources: * Wood Handbook page 5-7
6According to USDA Forest Service, Forest Product Laboratory, Wood Handbook 2-8, Hard maple includes sugar maple (Acer saccharum) (.63)* and black maple (A. nigrum) (.57)*.
7According to USDA Forest Service, Forest Product Laboratory, Techsheets, Red Ash includes these three subspecies Fraxinus americana (.60)*, Fraxinus pennsylvanica (.56)*, Fraxinus profunda (.51)*
8According to USDA Forest Service, Forest Product Laboratory, Wood Handbook page 2-8, Soft maple includes silver maple (Acer saccharinum) (.47)*, red maple (A. rubrum) (.54)*, bigleaf maple (A.macrophyllum) (.48)*, and boxelder (A. negundo) (.45)** Specific Gravity resources:
* Wood Handbook page 5-5
** Forest Product Laboratory Techsheet
9According to the Southern Pine Inspection Bureau (SPIB) the four main subspecies that make up the SYP category are: Longleaf, Shortleaf, Loblolly and Slash pines. The SYP mix setting (.56) was determined by taking the average of Longleaf (.59)*, Shortleaf (.51)*, Loblolly (.51)* and Slash pines (.59)* Specific Gravity resources: * Wood Handbook page 5-7 & page 5-8
10 Forest Products Laboratory Techsheets Calculated from Green MC values by Wagner applying an acceptable volumetric shrinkage approximation per USDA GTR FPL-GTL-76
11 According to Forest Products Laboratory Techsheets Guatambu grown in *Brazil has a higher specific gravity then for **Argentinean material. *Guatambu (Brazil) (Balfourodendron riedelianum)(.79) Calculated from Green MC values by Wagner. **Guatambu (Argentinean) (Balfourodendron riedelianum)(.70) Calculated from Green MC values by Wagner.
12Forest Products Laboratory Techsheets Calculated from Dry (0%) MC values by Wagner applying an acceptable volumetric shrinkage approximation per USDA GTR FPL-GTL-76
13WoodWorkersSource Wood Library Calculated from Dry (0%) MC values by Wagner applying an acceptable volumetric shrinkage approximation per USDA GTR FPL-GTL-76
14WoodWorkersSource Wood Library Calculated from Green MC values by Wagner applying an acceptable volumetric shrinkage approximation per USDA GTR FPL-GTL-76
15WoodWorkersSource Wood Library Calculated from Dry (0%) MC values by Wagner
16The Wood Database Calculated from Green MC values by Wagner
17The Wood Database Calculated from Green MC values by Wagner applying an acceptable volumetric shrinkage approximation per USDA GTR FPL-GTL-76
18Tropicaltimber Calculated from Green MC values by Wagner applying an acceptable volumetric shrinkage approximation per USDA GTR FPL-GTL-76
19According to Forest Products Laboratory Techsheets Goncalo Alves grown in *Honduras and Venezuela has a higher specific gravity then for **Brazil and Colombia material. *Goncalo Alves (Honduras and Venezuela) (Astronium graveolens)(.89) Calculated from Green MC values by Wagner. **Goncalo Alves (Brazil and Colombian) (Astronium graveolens)(.80) Calculated from Green MC values by Wagner.
 
 
* Legal disclaimer:

Wagner has compiled species’ average specific gravity (SG) values (wood volume at 12% moisture content (MC) and oven-dry weight) from industry-accepted 3rd-party sources (USDA Forest Products Laboratory as an example) and provides this list for free with no implied warranty. Where an SG value listed in Wagner Meters’ manuals or website has been verified by Wagner, this is indicated as such, and not indicated as verified if a verification process has not been completed by Wagner for that species. Wagner is not responsible for any 3rd-party oversights or errors in their (the 3rd-parties) published SG values.

Where no published average SG value could be found for a species for the wood volume at 12% MC and oven-dry weight basis, Wagner has derived the proper SG value through a robust algorithm (see detailed explanation below under the heading ‘Specific Gravity (SG) Values of Wood and Their Referenced Moisture Content’).
 


 
Specific Gravity (SG) Values of Wood and Their Referenced Moisture Content

 

Wagner Meters’ moisture meters’ species settings are calibrated to wood samples that are at a nominal 12% moisture content (MC). It should also be recognized that the measurement accuracy of non-pin wood moisture meters is almost solely dependent on wood density; that is because wood species that have differing wood density but the same absolute amount of water will have different MC values because the definition of MC is the ratio of water weight to wood weight. Some online and other technical references that cite specific gravity (SG) values for different wood species list the SG when the wood is a different MC other than 12%. For example, some SG values listed are the values when the wood is dried all the way down to where the MC is actually zero. Other listed values are when the wood is “green” at perhaps 80% MC or even higher.

The reason that it matters what the MC was when the SG was determined is that the volume of a wood sample will shrink when it is dried down from high MC values to lower MC values. So as the volume of the wood sample shrinks, the density (SG) of the wood increases because the formula for the wood density is the weight of the wood sample divided by the volume of the wood sample, or more simply the ratio of the weight of the wood to its volume. As the weight stays the same during shrinkage, the volume decreases. Online and other references will not only provide SG values at some specific MC but also their “shrinkage ratio”. The shrinkage ratio is defined to be the percent of the volume of the wood that shrinks per decrease in MC value. For instance, one might see a 2% shrinkage ratio which means that for every 1% drop in MC the wood will shrink by 2% of its volume.

Wagner chose to calibrate its meters at a nominal 12% MC because this is close to where most wood will be in service and will be measured by our meters. Therefore we publish SG values for wood species to be used by our meters that correlate to a 12% MC value. Since online and other references publish SG values at sometimes 0% MC or “green” MC, you will often see different values online than what we publish. We correct these published values by applying correction factors based on MC at referenced SG values and shrinkage ratio published values. It should be noted that a wood sample will not begin shrinking significantly until the MC drops below fiber saturation point, which is generally between 28% and 32%, so we use 30% as the average fiber saturation point.

As an example, let’s say we have a published SG value of 0.50 referenced to 0% MC with a shrinkage ratio of 0.1% of volume per percent MC. We want to convert to an SG value referenced to 12% MC. A sample at 12 % MC will be 1.2% larger in volume (swells 12 * 0.1%). Since 0.50 equals the weight of the sample divided by volume, we now know the volume will actually be 1.2% larger, so the SG should be adjusted by a factor of 1 divided by (1 + 1.2%) or 1 divided by (1.012) = 0.50/1.012 = 0.49). So, in this specific case, the 12 % MC referenced SG value will be slightly less than the published value referenced at 0% MC.