Eastern Hemlock
Tsuga canadensis · softwood · Eastern North America · moderate movement
- Janka hardness 500 lbfred oak ≈ 1,290 lbf
- Density ≈ 28 lb/ft³specific gravity 0.4 at 12% MC
- Shrinkage — tangential 6.8%flatsawn width, green → ovendry
- Shrinkage — radial 3%quartersawn width
- T/R ratio 2.3 : 1higher = more cupping in flatsawn stock
Shop notes Coarse barn-frame timber, splintery and prone to ring shake. Timber-framing yes; furniture rarely.
Seasonal movement at a glance
Width change for eastern hemlock across a typical indoor year — 6% moisture content in the heated winter to 12% in a humid summer:
| Board width | Flatsawn | Quartersawn |
|---|---|---|
| 6″ | 3/32″ (0.087″) | 1/32″ (0.039″) |
| 12″ | 3/16″ (0.175″) | 1/16″ (0.077″) |
| 24″ | 11/32″ (0.350″) | 5/32″ (0.154″) |
| 36″ | 17/32″ (0.525″) | 7/32″ (0.231″) |
Run your own numbers
Different width, different climate swing — the calculator below is preset to eastern hemlock:
Typical swings:
Eastern Hemlock questions
How much does eastern hemlock move with the seasons?
A 12″-wide flatsawn eastern hemlock board moves about 3/16″ across a typical indoor swing from 6% to 12% moisture content; quartersawn, about 1/16″. Its tangential shrinkage is 6.8% and radial 3% (green to ovendry) — a moderate-movement wood.
How hard is eastern hemlock?
Eastern Hemlock rates about 500 lbf on the Janka scale — soft enough to dent in daily use (red oak is roughly 1,290 lbf). Density runs about 28 lb/ft³ at indoor moisture levels.
Is eastern hemlock good for wide panels and tabletops?
Carefully. Its tangential-to-radial ratio of 2.3:1 makes flatsawn boards prone to cupping — choose quartersawn stock for wide glue-ups, alternate growth rings, and fasten tops so they can slide.
Similar species
Baldcypress · Grand Fir · Red Spruce · Sitka Spruce · White Fir · Lodgepole Pine
Shrinkage, specific gravity, and hardness from the Wood Handbook, FPL-GTR-282 (2021 edition), USDA Forest Products Laboratory (public domain). Values are species averages — individual boards vary with growth conditions and how they were dried.