There are always different quantities of water in wood. The quantity depends on the following factors: logs are chopped just fresh, logs dried a while after chopping, chopped logs have been dried to humidity for indoor usage. Drying wood artificial in dry kiln on 103°C to 0 % of humidity means: droughty timber. Wet timber is the heaviest and droughty timber a lightweight. What means that the weight (exactly: mass) of wood depends on its water content. This is very important for transport to reach the maximum utilization of the cargo weight on truck or on railway - especially for heavy wood that has been stored in water.

The specific weight (means: gross density of wood and derived timber products in different dry degrees) is significant for planning the tours and the maximum utilization of trucks.

The schedule shows that the gross density (in practical: specific weight) depends on the water contents of the wood. Here is a list of some different types of wood – Spruce and fir show the lowest density and oak the highest.

Gross density: what does it mean?

Gross density shows the proportion between the substance of membrane of a cell and the holes in wood. Density is a worth showing the proportion that has to be calculated. The gross density p of wood and derived timber products is the proportion between the mass m and its volume v.

Authority: Gesamtverband Deutscher Holzhandel / German Timber Trade Federation