Tamarack
Larix laricina · softwood · Northern North America · moderate movement
- Janka hardness 590 lbfred oak ≈ 1,290 lbf
- Density ≈ 37 lb/ft³specific gravity 0.53 at 12% MC
- Shrinkage — tangential 7.4%flatsawn width, green → ovendry
- Shrinkage — radial 3.7%quartersawn width
- T/R ratio 2.0 : 1higher = more cupping in flatsawn stock
Shop notes The eastern larch — tough, waterproof-ish knees and posts. Knotty and resinous; sharpen often.
Seasonal movement at a glance
Width change for tamarack 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″ (0.095″) | 1/16″ (0.048″) |
| 12″ | 3/16″ (0.190″) | 3/32″ (0.095″) |
| 24″ | 3/8″ (0.381″) | 3/16″ (0.190″) |
| 36″ | 9/16″ (0.571″) | 9/32″ (0.285″) |
Run your own numbers
Different width, different climate swing — the calculator below is preset to tamarack:
Typical swings:
Tamarack questions
How much does tamarack move with the seasons?
A 12″-wide flatsawn tamarack board moves about 3/16″ across a typical indoor swing from 6% to 12% moisture content; quartersawn, about 3/32″. Its tangential shrinkage is 7.4% and radial 3.7% (green to ovendry) — a moderate-movement wood.
How hard is tamarack?
Tamarack rates about 590 lbf on the Janka scale — soft enough to dent in daily use (red oak is roughly 1,290 lbf). Density runs about 37 lb/ft³ at indoor moisture levels.
Is tamarack good for wide panels and tabletops?
Carefully. Its tangential-to-radial ratio of 2.0:1 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
Alaska Yellow-Cedar · Jack Pine · Red Pine · Western Hemlock · Douglas-Fir · Black Spruce
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.