WoodwoodSoftwood

Hemlock (Western)

Straight-grained structural softwood used for framing, sheathing and interior joinery. Works cleanly but has no natural decay resistance, so it belongs where it will stay dry.

Stock forms — Board section and side elevation, end grain showingannual ringsend graintwLside elevation
Hemlock (Western) — stock formsSymbols only — no stock sizes are published

Properties

Family
Wood
Category
wood
Species
Tsuga heterophylla
Density
0.47 g/cm³ · 470 kg/m³

Densityhow hemlock (western) compares

Density of Hemlock (Western) — 0.47 g/cm³Hemlock (Wester…0.47Water1.00Aluminium2.700369g/cm³
0.47 g/cm³ — 470 kg/m³Water 1.00 · Aluminium 2.70

Applicationswhere hemlock (western) is normally specified

FramingSheathingInterior joineryGeneral construction

Practical notes

  • Density is for air-dried stock at about 12% moisture content
  • Not suitable for ground contact or exposed outdoor use

Lumber sizeswhat hemlock (western) weighs in each nominal size

Lumber size database

Dressed sizes are the same for every species — a 2x4 is 1-1/2 x 3-1/2 in in oak as much as in spruce. What changes is the weight, and that is derived here from hemlock (western)'s density of 0.47 g/cm³.

2x4 dimensions2x4x8 weight2x6 dimensions4x4 dimensions

Tools used on itmatched on the wood family, not on this page

All tools
Circular SawCountersinkDrillHole SawImpact DriverJigsawMitre SawRandom Orbit SanderRouterTwist Drill Bits

Which tools work a material is a property of the family (Wood), not of the individual species — so this list is the same on every wood page, and changes when the tool data changes rather than when this paragraph does.

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Weight calculatorAll materials