Honeylocust
Gleditsia triacanthos · hardwood · Eastern North America · moderate movement
- Janka hardness 1,580 lbfred oak ≈ 1,290 lbf
- Density ≈ 46 lb/ft³specific gravity 0.66 at 12% MC
- Shrinkage — tangential 6.6%flatsawn width, green → ovendry
- Shrinkage — radial 4.2%quartersawn width
- T/R ratio 1.6 : 1higher = more cupping in flatsawn stock
Shop notes Underrated: hard, durable, warm-toned, and unusually stable for its density. Worth grabbing when it shows up at the sawmill.
Seasonal movement at a glance
Width change for honeylocust 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″ (0.085″) | 1/16″ (0.054″) |
| 12″ | 5/32″ (0.170″) | 3/32″ (0.108″) |
| 24″ | 11/32″ (0.339″) | 7/32″ (0.216″) |
| 36″ | 1/2″ (0.509″) | 5/16″ (0.324″) |
Run your own numbers
Different width, different climate swing — the calculator below is preset to honeylocust:
Typical swings:
Honeylocust questions
How much does honeylocust move with the seasons?
A 12″-wide flatsawn honeylocust board moves about 5/32″ across a typical indoor swing from 6% to 12% moisture content; quartersawn, about 3/32″. Its tangential shrinkage is 6.6% and radial 4.2% (green to ovendry) — a moderate-movement wood.
How hard is honeylocust?
Honeylocust rates about 1,580 lbf on the Janka scale — in red oak’s hardness neighborhood (red oak is roughly 1,290 lbf). Density runs about 46 lb/ft³ at indoor moisture levels.
Is honeylocust good for wide panels and tabletops?
Yes, with normal precautions: its 1.6:1 tangential-to-radial ratio is unusually balanced, so panels stay flatter than most. Still fasten solid tops so they can move across their width.
Similar species
Afrormosia · Pin Oak · Sweet Birch · Black Locust · Sugar Maple (Hard Maple) · Sapele
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.