difference between mgp10 and mgp12

MGP10 vs MGP12: Know Actual Difference Between Them?

When you’re looking for pine to start building a house, shack, or something similar – you always look for a sturdy enough piece. And for that, you’ll have to consider stress grades.

There are many to consider, but MGP10 and MGP12 are two of the most popular. And here, we’re going to explain the difference between MGP10 and MGP12, and how you can decide between one and the other accordingly.

If you’re looking for the ideal pine for your new construction, then you’ll love learning more about these two. So read this article for more info!

What are Stress Grades?

First and foremost, let’s explain what stress grades refer to.

The term MGP refers to machine-graded pine. The more stress the pine can handle, the more MGP it will have.

And the number that goes after MGP refers to the threshold of stiffness. For example, a threshold of 10,000 MPa (megapascal), means you’re looking at an MGP10 piece of wood. And a threshold of 12,000 MPa means it is an MGP12.

Be aware that MGP is only used for pine. If the wood is not pine, then the grades would be F instead. Most wood graded with F refers to hardwood. So, you may be looking at anything going from white cypress to bamboo, rosewood, and even other types of pine that have not been machine-graded.

Therefore, it is evident that whenever you see a piece of wood graded with MGP stress grade, it means you’re looking at machine-graded pine or any of its sub-species.

What is MGP10?

What is MGP10

After learning what stress grades are, you’ll understand MGP10 more easily.

In short, it refers to pine that can handle a total of 10,000 MPa. The same stress grade in hardwood would be F5 – so you can have an idea of its performance.

What sets MGP10 apart is the ability to work for different purposes, going from small structures to large ones with ease. And thanks to a semi-flexible composition, MGP10 wood can handle decent alterations.

For pine that works almost anywhere, MGP10 would be an excellent choice.

Advantages of MGP10

So, you know what MGP10 offers, let's now explain how it can be an excellent choice for you.

Here are some of the advantages you get:

Light but Sturdy

Pine tends to be super heavy and difficult to handle. And while MGP10 is not the lightest of all, it is still pretty light without losing its strength.

You can expect it to handle a lot of weight without problems, and be used for both heavy-duty and light-duty structures. And thanks to its lightness, it is a piece of cake to work with.

Flexible but Resilient

Being able to withstand 10,000 MPa with no issues, MGP10 becomes a highly resistant wood to have. And while it won’t be impossible to bend or warp, it still manages to last a long time without succumbing to the weight of time.

At the same time, you won’t have any problem making it work in heavy-duty operations – as it retains the form, thanks to its slight but decent flexibility.

Highly Versatile

Adding up how flexible, light, and resistant it is – you can find MGP10 as an excellent choice for almost any job. You can use it for mainframes as well as light load-bearing purposes as well as simple interior walls, or even low-exposure exteriors if necessary.

The versatility of MPG10 makes it an excellent choice all around. And because of that, this is one of the most popular MPG out there.

Disadvantages of MGP10

While you may find it an excellent choice for many different things, there are others it won’t be such an excellent choice for. Here are some of them:

Not Ideal for Heavy Loadbearing

Despite being able to handle 10,000 MPa without problems, MGP10 is not generally used for places that need to handle a lot of weight.

Following how flexible it is, you can guess the wood can easily bend if not installed in the right place. That’s why builders prefer using it for regular walls and low-weight load-bearing frames.

Not the Best for Exteriors

MGP10 is highly resistant and can withstand almost any type of exterior element. But that doesn’t mean it is the best one for that.

Especially if it is untreated pine, there’s a high chance MGP10 won’t last as long as other varieties. It is more prone to warp with moisture, wear off with sun rays, and sometimes even crack if put under a lot of pressure in outdoor environments. MGP10 is not the worst for exteriors, but still far from ideal.

What Is MGP12?

What Is MGP12

As you may know already, MGP12 refers to machine-graded pine that can handle 12,000 MPa. So, you can guess it is a pretty sturdy type of pine. In fact, it is the second toughest in stress grade behind MGP15.

What makes MPG12 unique is that they come from their plantation and refer to treated pine that delivers superb strength. But you may still find MGP12 as untreated.

This type of pine is mostly dry and works amazingly well for situations where sturdiness is more important than anything else. Yet, it also has a unique surface and is usually cumbersome.

Advantages of MGP12

Apart from withstanding up to 12,000 MPa, an MGP12 piece of wood can also offer other benefits. Here are some of them:

Highly Resistant

As said before, MGP12 is usually treated by drying it slightly. This process makes sure it can handle all kinds of exterior elements and environments.

You can use MGP12 for any type of purpose, and it won’t let you down. The ability to withstand a lot of heat, sun rays, moisture, and other factors is superb.

Extra Sturdy Build

Because MGP12 is one of the more solid types of pine, it is also one of the sturdiest. The ability to handle 12,000 MPa is something not to dismiss.

That’s why it is one of the best options for load-bearing. Using MGP12 for a structure’s frame, no matter what it is, always delivers excellent results. And it can handle the weight of time amazingly well.

Versatile and Affordable

MGP12 is ultra-resistant and sturdy, which makes it one of the most versatile out there.

You can use MGP12 for exteriors, for frames, for walls, for floors, overall support, and much more – without a single issue.

And despite that, it is still decently affordable. The difference between MGP12 and lower-stress pines is not much – and it still performs a lot better. So, you get a lot for a bargain price.

Disadvantages of MGP12

The quality of MGP12 is not everything to consider. There are also a few drawbacks you may want to learn about, such as:

Super Heavy

The main disadvantage of MGP12 is that because it is so sturdy and durable, the wood tends to be too heavy. That doesn’t mean you will have problems using it, but it will certainly not make it easy.

It makes sense that it is so cumbersome, but that won’t help to use it. You may find it a little heavier than expected, especially when compared to lower-stress MGP varieties.

Not Too Popular

Another disadvantage of MGP12 is that you won’t find it easily. While it is not the most unpopular choice, MGP12 is not the most accessible either.

Because it is a little more expensive than its lower-stress species, MGP12 is often overlooked, even though it is way stronger.

In some places, MGP12 is the most common and popular variety you’ll find. But in most cases, finding this type of wood can be somewhat tricky. But as a rule of thumb, places that offer MGP10 and MGP15 should also offer MGP12.

Difference Between MGP10 And MGP12: Factors to Consider

What do these two types of pine offer exactly? It is time to get a little further and explain how they differ.

Here are a few factors to think about when comparing these two:

Durability

There’s not much of a difference between MGP10 and MGP12. However, it is safe to say that MGP10 tends to bend and warp more easily, mainly because it has a slightly lower strength and stress limit.

On top of that, MGP12 is the regular choice for most load-bearing purposes, so it can be a lot more reliable in exterior situations requiring a lot of heavy lifting. And because it sometimes goes through a drying process, the surface tends to handle external factors a lot better than MGP10.

You may not find MGP10 awful in terms of durability. In fact, it may last even longer than MGP12 when used on interiors. But because it is not as sturdy or resistant to external factors, using for heavy loadbearing purposes or outdoors might reduce its total lifespan exponentially.

Strength

When we talk about strength, we refer to the overall pressure and weight capacity of the wood.

Here, you will find that MGP10 is a pretty sturdy variety, handling about 10,000 MPa with ease. But some versions of MGP10 can handle up to 17,000 MPa – making it superbly strong and dependable. Even for heavy load-bearing purposes, MGP10 can be an excellent choice.

MGP12 is the most durable, though. While MGP10 can reach 17,000 MPa, this one can handle 18,000 MPa in some cases. And because it is made explicitly for strength, it is the standard for load-bearing and truss applications.

Weight

Following the strength and durability of each type of pine, you may guess which one is heavier.

MGP12 tends to be a lot more cumbersome, especially with the strength and less flexible composition. It has a firmer grain, which eventually transforms it into a heavy wood.

When it comes to lightness, MGP10 won’t be like a fibreboard or softwood. But it will still be a lot lighter than MGP12. So, you can guess it is far easier to handle and use, adding an excellent touch of versatility. But this also means it is a little less resistant and durable.

Flexibility

The flexibility of a piece of wood refers to how far the wood can bend without breaking or losing its shape. Here, you will find that the lightness and lower strength of MGP10 make it the most flexible.

That’s why it is always preferable to use MGP10 in places that don’t demand much heavy loading but instead rely on flexibility.

MGP12, on the other hand, is not as flexible. It loses this flexibility because of its strength, so it is harder and more challenging to use in places that don’t need much sturdiness.

Application

Application

Knowing more about their durability, strength, weight, and flexibility will give you a better idea of the perfect application for each type of pine.

Here, we can say that MGP10 would be ideal for anything going from floor support to walls and even lightweight framing for structures. It is flexible enough to handle light movement without breaking, and it can go on places where using cumbersome woods like MGP12 can be difficult.

But the difference is not that much. MGP12 can also be used for the same purposes that don’t rely on flexibility. But because it has a slightly sturdier composition, it is safe to say that it works better for frames and heavy loadbearing structures.

For truss, for example, MGP12 is the better choice. But for building interiors, MGP10 would work a lot better.

Conclusion

So you’ve read almost everything there’s to know about MGP10 and MGP12. Now it’s time to find the ideal one for you.

As we mentioned before, one is sturdier and more reliable than the other. But one is also lighter, more flexible, and versatile.

So, you need to pick the winner between MGP10 vs MGP12 accordingly. The one that best fits your demands, that’s the type of pine you need to go for.

Still, remember that neither of these two is perfect. So, take your time and choose with care.

ronald

5 thoughts on “MGP10 vs MGP12: Know Actual Difference Between Them?”

  1. have never read anything as helpful , non-technical but also extremely informative.
    now, I feel like I have a chance of knowing what I am doing. For amateurs, this is brilliant.

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