hardwood · Guaiacum officinale
Lignum Vitae wood properties
Also known as: palo santo, guayacan, holywood.
| Type | hardwood |
|---|---|
| Botanical name | Guaiacum officinale |
| Modulus of elasticity (MOE) | 2,481,000 psi |
| Specific gravity | 1.26 |
| Density (approx) | 79 lb/ft³ (6.6 lb per board foot) |
| Janka hardness | 4,390 lbf |
| Shrinkage (tangential / radial) | 8.7% / 5.3% |
| Region | Central America and northern South America |
A 1 in x 6 in x 8 ft board of Lignum Vitae weighs about 26.2 lb (roughly 79 lb per cubic foot). Its Janka hardness of 4,390 lbf is harder than about 100% of the woods in our database.
Uses and working notes
Common uses: tool handles, mallet heads, bearings, bushings, pulley wheels, turned objects.
Durability: Exceptionally durable outdoors and strongly resistant to insects; famed for lasting while submerged in water.
Workability: Extreme density and natural oils make machining hard, though it lends itself beautifully to turning.
Use this data
Similar woods
Woods with comparable hardness and density to Lignum Vitae:
How these numbers were sourced
MOE, SG (12% MC), Janka and shrinkage from The Wood Database (citing USDA FPL and related sources). This imported species is not listed in the FPL/Hoadley dimensional change coefficient table, so CT/CR and movement source are omitted. Uses, region, durability and workability summarized from The Wood Database. Price indicative.
Values shown as estimates rather than sourced constants: typicalPricePerBF_usd.
Sources
These calculators are for planning and estimation. Engineering results (shelf sag, wood movement) use published average material properties; real boards vary by grade, grain, moisture and defects. Verify load-bearing designs with a professional.