Grouping of some domestic and imported woods according to average heartwood decay resistance
Table taken from Wood Handbook: Wood as an engineering material- General Technical Report 113- USDA Forest Service
| Resistant or very resistant | Moderately resistant | Slightly or nonresistant |
|---|---|---|
| Baldcypress, old growth | Baldcypress, young growth | Alder, red |
| Catalpa | Douglas-fir | Ashes |
| Cedar | Larch, western | Aspens |
| Atlantic white | Pine, slash, old growth | Beech |
| Eastern redcedar | Pine, longleaf, old growth | birches |
| Incense | Tamarack | Buckeye |
| Northern white | Pine, eastern white, old growth | Butternut |
| Port-Orford | / | Cottonwood |
| Western redcedar | Elms | / |
| Yellow | Basswood | / |
| Cherry, black | / | Firs, true |
| Chestnut | / | Hackberry |
| Cypress, Arizona | / | Hemlocks |
| Junipers | / | Hickories |
| Locust | / | Magnolia |
| Black a | / | Maples |
| Honeylocust | / | Pines (other than those listed) b |
| Mesquite | / | Spruces |
| Mulberry, red a | / | Sweetgum |
| Oaks, white b | / | Sycamore |
| Osage orange a | / | Tanoak |
| Redwood, old growth | / | Willows |
| Sassafras | / | Yellow-poplar |
| Walnut, black | / | / |
| Yew, pacific | / | / |
| Resistant or very resistant | Moderately resistant | Slightly or nonresistant |
|---|---|---|
| Aftotmosia (Kokrodua) | Andiroba | Balsa |
| Angeliquea a | Avodire | Banak |
| Apamate (Roble) | Benge | Cativo |
| Azobea a | Bubinga | Ceiba |
| Balata a | Ehie | Hura |
| Balau b | Ekop | Jelutong |
| Courbaril | Mahogany, African | Meranti, light red b |
| Goncola alves a | Meranti, dark red b | Meranti, yellow b |
| Greenheart a | Mersawa b | Meranti, white b |
| Ipe (lapacho) a | Sapele | Obeche |
| Iroko | Teak, young growth | Okoume |
| Jarrah a | Tornillo | Parana pine |
| Kapur | / | Ramin |
| Karri | / | Sande |
| Kempas | / | Sepitir |
| Lignumvitae a | / | Seraya, white |
| Mahogany, American | / | / |
| Manni | / | / |
| Purpleheart a | / | / |
| Spanish-cedar | / | / |
| Sucupira | / | / |
| Teak, old growth a | / | / |
| Wallaba | / | / |
a.) Exceptionally high decay resistance.
b.) More than one species included, some of which may vary in resistance from that indicated.
With landscape grade, each individual piece of Black Locust is carefully inspected to ensure quality and durability. Visually, Black Locust is known for its knots, mineral streaks, checks, and bark insertions. All sound knots are admitted in this grade. All other characteristics that do not affect the durability of this product are also admitted — surface checks, mineral streaks, bark insertions, and grub holes. A popular product, without the premiere price.
Black Locust wood is harder than White Oak. We measure hardness of wood with the Janka Hardness scale: the higher the number the tougher the wood. Black Locust wood’s Janka hardness scale is 1,700 lbf (7,560 N) compared to White Oak Janka hardness scale of 1,360 (6,000 N).
