Perpendicular to the grain rating for the two common cribbing species is approximately?

• A. 1000 psi
• B. 250 psi
• C. 500 psi
• D. 750 psi

Answer: (C)

When we talk about cribbing strength, the orientation of the wood fibers matters a lot. Wood is much stronger along the grain than across it, so the strength rating perpendicular to the grain reflects how much load the block can safely carry when the force is trying to crush it across its face. For the two common cribbing species used in structural collapse work, this cross-grain strength is about 500 psi. That value captures a practical, field-usable estimate that accounts for typical material conditions and how cribbing is loaded in real scenarios.

So the 500 psi figure is the standard approximate perpendicular-to-the-grain rating for those materials. The other numbers are outside the typical range you’d rely on for safe cribbing in the field.