Eastern Cottonwood
Populus deltoides · hardwood · Eastern North America · high movement
- Janka hardness 430 lbfred oak ≈ 1,290 lbf
- Density ≈ 28 lb/ft³specific gravity 0.4 at 12% MC
- Shrinkage — tangential 9.2%flatsawn width, green → ovendry
- Shrinkage — radial 3.9%quartersawn width
- T/R ratio 2.4 : 1higher = more cupping in flatsawn stock
Shop notes Cheap, light utility wood with a woolly surface under dull knives. The wide tangential-to-radial spread means flatsawn boards cup readily.
Seasonal movement at a glance
Width change for eastern cottonwood across a typical indoor year — 6% moisture content in the heated winter to 12% in a humid summer:
| Board width | Flatsawn | Quartersawn |
|---|---|---|
| 6″ | 1/8″ (0.118″) | 1/16″ (0.050″) |
| 12″ | 1/4″ (0.237″) | 3/32″ (0.100″) |
| 24″ | 15/32″ (0.473″) | 3/16″ (0.201″) |
| 36″ | 23/32″ (0.710″) | 5/16″ (0.301″) |
Run your own numbers
Different width, different climate swing — the calculator below is preset to eastern cottonwood:
Typical swings:
Eastern Cottonwood questions
How much does eastern cottonwood move with the seasons?
A 12″-wide flatsawn eastern cottonwood board moves about 1/4″ across a typical indoor swing from 6% to 12% moisture content; quartersawn, about 3/32″. Its tangential shrinkage is 9.2% and radial 3.9% (green to ovendry) — a high-movement wood.
How hard is eastern cottonwood?
Eastern Cottonwood rates about 430 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 cottonwood good for wide panels and tabletops?
Carefully. Its tangential-to-radial ratio of 2.4:1 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
Black Willow · Bigtooth Aspen · American Basswood · Butternut · Quaking Aspen · American Chestnut
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.