Did you know that mango trees produce usable timber? Not only do they create delicious fruit, but they also provide a sustainable wood source. In this article, we’ll go into detail about the mango tree and the timber that comes from it.
So if you’re looking to expand your wood knowledge and work with different types of wood, keep on reading to find out if mango will suit your next project.
Is Mango a Hardwood or a Softwood?
Mango is a hardwood. New woodworkers often get confused by what hardwood and softwood mean. As a general rule, hardwood comes from deciduous trees and softwood comes from conifer, evergreen trees. A deciduous tree has broad leaves, which it loses every year with the seasons, while a coniferous tree has needle-shaped leaves that the tree doesn’t drop.
The terms hardwood and softwood were first coined by European woodworkers. In Europe, most of the stronger, more durable trees are deciduous. The pine that was readily available to European woodworkers grew fast, so the grain was less dense and weaker. Over time, pines and conifers were referred to as softwood, and deciduous trees as hardwood.
To make matters more confusing, some hardwoods are softer than softwoods. There are also species of softwood that are stronger than a lot of hardwoods. For example, spruce is a softwood, however, it’s denser than a lot of hardwoods, including beech, balsa, and aspen. As a hardwood, balsa is one of the least dense woods available, with most commercial softwoods providing more strength.
Mango Wood Strength: All You Need to Know
Every tree species has strengths and weaknesses. Classifying one species as generally weak misses a lot of detail that can be useful in projects. For example, some species bend better than others but wouldn’t be suitable for structural work.
In this section, we’ll explain in detail how mango wood performs for compressive strength, bending strength (modulus of rupture), stiffness (modulus of elasticity), hardness (Janka scale), and density.
Compressive Strength
Mango wood has a crushing strength of 7,240 lbf/in2 (49.9 MPa). Compressive strength is also referred to as crushing strength. This value is calculated by applying pressure to the two ends of a piece of wood. Gradually, more force is applied until the timber breaks. Some projects that would require compressive strength are deck posts and chair legs. This is because the pressure placed on the wood goes from end to end and runs parallel to the grain.
To compare mango’s compressive strength to other species, it is similar to white oak, which has a compressive strength of 7,440 lbf/in2 (51.3 MPa). Redwood is weaker under crushing pressure, with a value of 5,690 lbf/in2 (39.2 MPa). Lastly, Ipe is considerably stronger than mango, with a score of 13,510 lbf/in2 (93.1 MPa).
Bending Strength (Modulus of Rupture)
Mango wood has a bending strength of 12,830 lbf/in2 (88.5 MPa). Bending strength, also technically known as modulus of rupture (MOR), tests a tree specie’s strength until failure or rupture. This test is similar to testing a timber’s stiffness, but stiffness doesn’t measure until failure, which the bending strength test does.
To test bending strength, a length of timber is supported on either end, and pressure is applied in the middle of the length, where it is unsupported. Gradually more and more force is used until the timber fails.
Comparing mango to other species, it is weaker than both hickory and red oak. Hickory has a bending strength of 20,200 lbf/in2 (139.3 MPa), while red oak has a bending strength of 20,200 lbf/in2 (139.3 MPa).
Stiffness (Modulus of Elasticity)
Mango wood has a stiffness of 1,672,000 lbf/in2 (11.53 GPa). Without getting too technical, stiffness measures how much a wood deforms under stress along its length. A piece of timber is supported at either end, and pressure is applied in the middle, causing the wood to deform. As a standard, this test is conducted with timber at a 12% moisture content unless a different moisture content is specifically mentioned.
To compare mango’s stiffness strength to other species, it is weaker than both hickory and red oak. Hickory has a stiffness of 2,160,000 lbf/in2 (14.90 GPa), while red oak has a stiffness of 1,820,000 lbf/in2 (12.50 GPa).
Hardness (Janka Scale)
Mango wood has a hardness of 1,070 lbf (4,780 N). Janka hardness is one of the most useful tests for timber and tells you how easily a species will bruise, dent, ding, and wear. Alongside this, it outlines how hard the wood can be to work with because the higher the Janka score, the more force is needed when nailing, screwing, sanding, and sawing the wood.
The Janka score is how many pounds of force must be applied to push a .444” diameter steel ball into the wood. As standard, the wood that’s tested has a 12% moisture content, unless specifically mentioned otherwise.
To compare mango with other wood species, it has a lower hardness than white oak and it is much harder than basswood. White oak has a Janka hardness of 1,350 lbf (5,990 N). Basswood has a hardness of around 410 lbf (1,820 N).
Density
Mango wood has a density of 42 lbs/ft3 (675 kg/m3). In general, the denser the wood is, the heavier and stronger it is. Compared to other species, mango has a higher density than western cedar’s 21 lbs/ft3. White oak is denser than mango wood, with a density of 47 lbs/ft3.
Is Mango Strong?
By analyzing the data surrounding the strength of mango wood, it’s comparable to ash and cherry. It is a relatively strong timber that is suitable for a range of uses, such as cabinets, furniture, flooring, paneling, and musical instruments.
Summary
Mango wood is grown all over the world in tropical climates, including India, Southeast Asia, Mexico, Brazil, and Australia. Primarily, the tree is used as a food source, but the timber is also extremely useful and provides a sustainable alternative to more traditional wood choices. As a hardwood, mango has a dense grain and is strong enough for most woodworking projects.