Materials / Compare

Plastic Nylon PA6 vs. Plywood

Compare Plastic Nylon PA6 vs. Plywood strength, stiffness, weight and thermal properties.

Plastic Nylon PA6Bulk polymer (molded or machined)
PlywoodNatural
MechanicalPlastic Nylon PA6Plywood
Yield strength90MPa1not given (tensile used)
Ultimate tensile strengthnot stated (yield given)modulus of rupture41.4MPa2
Flexural strengthnot sourcedstatic bending MOR41.4MPa2
Elongation at break10%1not sourced
Young's modulus (stiffness)3.5GPa17.45GPa22.13x stiffer
Density1,130kg/m³1not sourced
Strength to weight79.6kN·m/kgnot sourced
Stiffness to weight3.1MN·m/kgnot sourced
Poisson's ratiobase material0.43not sourced
Shear modulus1.25GPanot sourced
Bulk modulus5.83GPanot sourced
Speed of sound1,760m/snot sourced
1k10k0.1110100Density (kg/m³)Young's modulus (GPa)Plastic PLAPlastic PETGPlastic ABSPlastic TPUPlastic NylonWoodAluminumSteelIronTitaniumSteel AISI 1018Stainless Steel 304Stainless Steel 316Aluminum 6061-T6Aluminum 7075-T6Brass C360Copper C110Copper C10100Copper C12200GlassSteel AISI 1045Steel AISI 4340Steel A992Stainless Steel 303Stainless Steel 17-4PHAluminum 2024-T351Aluminum 5052-H32Aluminum 7050-T7451Titanium Ti-6Al-4VBrass C260Nickel Inconel 718Magnesium AZ31B-H24Zinc Zamak 3Plastic ABS (bulk/injection)Plastic PolycarbonatePlastic POM/AcetalPlastic Nylon PA66Plastic PEEKPlastic UHMWPEPlastic HDPEPlastic PolypropylenePlastic PMMAFDM ASAFDM PolycarbonateFDM PAHT-CFFDM HIPSSLA Resin StandardSLA Resin Tough 2000SLS PA12 NylonDMLS AlSi10Mg AluminumDMLS Ti-6Al-4V ELI TitaniumDMLS 316L Stainless SteelDMLS 17-4PH Stainless SteelConcretePCB Laminate FR-4SiliconCeramic Alumina 96%Ceramic Aluminum NitrideAluminum A380Aluminum 6063-T6Aluminum 1100-OAluminum 3003-OAluminum ADC12Magnesium AZ91DSolder SAC305Plastic PBT GF30Plastic PPS GF40Plastic LCP GF30Plastic Nylon PA6
Stiffness against densityHigher and further left: stiffer for its weight
1k10k101001kDensity (kg/m³)Yield strength (MPa)Plastic PLAPlastic PETGPlastic ABSPlastic TPUPlastic NylonRubberWoodAluminumSteelIronTitaniumSteel AISI 1018Stainless Steel 304Stainless Steel 316Aluminum 6061-T6Aluminum 7075-T6Brass C360Copper C110Copper C10100Copper C12200GlassSteel AISI 1045Steel AISI 4340Steel A992Stainless Steel 303Stainless Steel 17-4PHAluminum 2024-T351Aluminum 5052-H32Aluminum 7050-T7451Titanium Ti-6Al-4VBrass C260Nickel Inconel 718Magnesium AZ31B-H24Zinc Zamak 3Plastic ABS (bulk/injection)Plastic PolycarbonatePlastic POM/AcetalPlastic Nylon PA66Plastic PEEKPlastic PTFEPlastic UHMWPEPlastic HDPEPlastic PolypropylenePlastic PMMAFDM ASAFDM PolycarbonateFDM PAHT-CFFDM HIPSSLA Resin StandardSLA Resin Tough 2000SLA Resin Elastic 50ASLS PA12 NylonDMLS AlSi10Mg AluminumDMLS Ti-6Al-4V ELI TitaniumDMLS 316L Stainless SteelDMLS 17-4PH Stainless SteelBrickPCB Laminate FR-4SiliconCeramic Alumina 96%Aluminum A380Aluminum 6063-T6Aluminum 1100-OAluminum 3003-OAluminum ADC12Magnesium AZ91DSolder SAC305Plastic PBT GF30Plastic PPS GF40Plastic LCP GF30Plastic Nylon PA6
Strength against densityHigher and further left: stronger for its weight
ThermalPlastic Nylon PA6Plywood
Thermal conductivity0.33W/m·K10.12W/m·K4
Thermal expansionlongitudinal102µm/m·K1base material3.1–4.5µm/m·K5
100 mm part over a 50 °C swing510µm growth19µm growth26.8x less
Specific heat1,700J/kg·K1base material1,700J/kg·K5
Heats up and cools (diffusivity)0.172mm²/snot sourced
Thermal shock resistance49.9W/mnot sourced
Melting pointDSC220°C1not sourced
Max service temperature87°C1not sourced
1k10k0.1110100Density (kg/m³)Thermal conductivity (W/m·K)Plastic PLAPlastic PETGPlastic ABSPlastic NylonRubberWoodAluminumSteelIronTitaniumSteel AISI 1018Stainless Steel 304Stainless Steel 316Aluminum 6061-T6Aluminum 7075-T6Brass C360Copper C110Copper C10100Copper C12200GlassSteel AISI 1045Steel AISI 4340Steel A992Stainless Steel 303Stainless Steel 17-4PHAluminum 2024-T351Aluminum 5052-H32Aluminum 7050-T7451Titanium Ti-6Al-4VBrass C260Nickel Inconel 718Magnesium AZ31B-H24Zinc Zamak 3Plastic ABS (bulk/injection)Plastic PolycarbonatePlastic POM/AcetalPlastic Nylon PA66Plastic PEEKPlastic PTFEPlastic UHMWPEPlastic HDPEPlastic PolypropylenePlastic PMMAFDM ASAFDM PolycarbonateFDM HIPSSLA Resin StandardDMLS AlSi10Mg AluminumDMLS Ti-6Al-4V ELI TitaniumDMLS 316L Stainless SteelDMLS 17-4PH Stainless SteelConcreteBrickPCB Laminate FR-4SiliconCeramic Alumina 96%Ceramic Aluminum NitrideAluminum A380Aluminum 6063-T6Aluminum 1100-OAluminum 3003-OAluminum ADC12Magnesium AZ91DSolder SAC305Plastic PBT GF30Plastic PPS GF40Plastic LCP GF30Plastic Nylon PA6
Thermal conductivity against densityHigher and further left: spreads more heat for its weight
0.111010010100Thermal conductivity (W/m·K)Thermal expansion (µm/m·K)Plastic PETGPlastic ABSPlastic NylonWoodAluminumSteelIronTitaniumSteel AISI 1018Stainless Steel 304Stainless Steel 316Aluminum 6061-T6Aluminum 7075-T6Brass C360Copper C110Copper C10100Copper C12200GlassSteel AISI 1045Steel AISI 4340Steel A992Stainless Steel 303Stainless Steel 17-4PHAluminum 2024-T351Aluminum 5052-H32Aluminum 7050-T7451Titanium Ti-6Al-4VBrass C260Nickel Inconel 718Magnesium AZ31B-H24Zinc Zamak 3Plastic ABS (bulk/injection)Plastic PolycarbonatePlastic POM/AcetalPlastic Nylon PA66Plastic PEEKPlastic PTFEPlastic UHMWPEPlastic HDPEPlastic PolypropylenePlastic PMMAFDM ASAFDM PolycarbonateFDM HIPSSLA Resin StandardDMLS AlSi10Mg AluminumDMLS Ti-6Al-4V ELI TitaniumDMLS 316L Stainless SteelDMLS 17-4PH Stainless SteelConcreteBrickPCB Laminate FR-4SiliconCeramic Alumina 96%Ceramic Aluminum NitrideAluminum A380Aluminum 6063-T6Aluminum 1100-OAluminum 3003-OAluminum ADC12Magnesium AZ91DSolder SAC305Plastic PBT GF30Plastic PPS GF40Plastic LCP GF30Plastic Nylon PA6Plywood
Thermal expansion against thermal conductivityLower and further right: warps less when heated
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Sources5 documents: BASF, USDA Forest Products Laboratory, Covestro
Plastic Nylon PA6
BASF Ultramid B3S (PA6, unreinforced injection-moulding grade), Product Information 02/2026, dry values (ISO methods)
Plywood
Douglas-fir plywood sheathing (construction plywood per PS 1), static bending properties from USDA FPL Wood Handbook FPL-GTR-282 Ch. 12 Table 12-2 (Biblis 2000)
  1. 1
    Ultramid B3S Product InformationBASFPlastic Nylon PA6 · Yield strength: typical, dryPlastic Nylon PA6 · Elongation at break: nominal strain at break, dryPlastic Nylon PA6 · Young's modulus (stiffness): typical, dryPlastic Nylon PA6 · Density: typicalPlastic Nylon PA6 · Thermal conductivity: typicalPlastic Nylon PA6 · Thermal expansion: longitudinal, 23-55 °CPlastic Nylon PA6 · Specific heat: typicalPlastic Nylon PA6 · Melting point: DSCPlastic Nylon PA6 · Max service temperature: IEC 60216 temperature index, 20000 h
  2. 2
    Wood Handbook (FPL-GTR-282), Chapter 12: Mechanical Properties of Wood-Based Composite MaterialsUSDA Forest Products LaboratoryPlywood · Ultimate tensile strength: modulus of rupture (no direct tensile value)Plywood · Flexural strength: static bending MOR (Douglas-fir); range 33.72-42.61 across speciesPlywood · Young's modulus (stiffness): static bending MOE of the panel (Douglas-fir); range 6.96-8.55 across species
  3. 3
    Engineering Polymers Part and Mold Design: Thermoplastics, A Design GuideCovestroPlastic Nylon PA6 · Poisson's ratio: base material: unfilled polyamide (PA), conditioned, maker design-guide family value (Covestro Table 3-1)
  4. 4
    Thermal Properties of Wood and Wood Panel Products for Use in Buildings (1988)USDA Forest Products Laboratoryarchived copyPlywood · Thermal conductivity: APA-recommended design value (Douglas-fir plywood), as reported by FPL/ORNL
  5. 5
    Wood Handbook (FPL-GTR-282), Chapter 4: Moisture Relations and Physical Properties of WoodUSDA Forest Products LaboratoryPlywood · Thermal expansion: base material: solid wood parallel to grain, ovendry, range across speciesPlywood · Specific heat: base material: solid wood (all species), 12% MC, 27 C

Each number points to the document that states it, with the exact basis. Values without a number are computed from the sourced ones. "Not sourced" means no citable source states it (or only a specification minimum); figures computed from it are left out too.

Questions

Mechanical

Is Plastic Nylon PA6 stronger than Plywood?

Plastic Nylon PA6 is stronger: its yield strength is 90 MPa against tensile strength 41.4 MPa for Plywood (2.18x).

Which is stiffer, Plastic Nylon PA6 or Plywood?

Plywood is stiffer: Young's modulus 7.45 GPa against 3.5 GPa for Plastic Nylon PA6, so the same part in Plywood deflects less under the same load.

Thermal

Which conducts heat better, Plastic Nylon PA6 or Plywood?

Plastic Nylon PA6 conducts heat better: 0.33 W/m·K against 0.12 W/m·K for Plywood.

Which expands less with temperature?

Plywood expands less: 3.8 µm/m·K against 102 µm/m·K for Plastic Nylon PA6.

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