There is a type of wood called "ironwood" that actually does sink in water.

1) "The mass of over 30 different species of wood are listed below. While the data is useful for the design and selection of wood, individual samples will differ. Moisture content will have a marked influence. As 1000kg of pure water = 1 cubic metre, those materials under 1000kg/cubic metre will float; more dense will sink ie. those materials with a specific gravity more than 1." "Ebony 960 - 1120 " "Lignum Vitae 1280 - 1370 " Source and further information: http://www.simetric.co.uk/si_wood.htm http://woodsgood.ca/woodDensity.htm 2) "ironwood (guaiac): 1.17 - 1.33" Source: http://hypertextbook.com/facts/2000/ShirleyLam.shtml "Olea laurifolia (Black Ironwood) is a species of flowering plant belonging to the olive family Oleaceae. It is native to KwaZulu-Natal Province, South Africa. The Guinness Book of World Records lists this tree as the world's heaviest wood, with a specific gravity of 1.49. The timber has a good abrasion resistance and is very strong. It is an excellent turnery wood and is used for a wide range of decorative items." Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Ironwood

No, it depends on the wood's density. "Wood floats in water because it is less dense (lighter) than water. That is, a unit volume of wood has less mass (an weight) than the same unit volume of water. Basically, objects sink into the water until they displace (take the place of) a volume of water equal to their own weight. If the entire object displaces a volume of water which weighs less than the object (a stone or a lead weight, for example) the object will sink. Wood is made of dead plant cells and contains many open spaces. This is why it is so relatively light when it is dry. Fresh (wet) wood will float but not as high as the same wood would if dry. This is because the spaces in the wood are filled with water and the wood is heavier (more dense). Even so, the material of which the cells are made is still lighter than water and so wood floats even when wet. Sometimes wood becomes so saturated with water (even the exceedingly small spaces in the cell walls themselves are filled with water) that it sinks. Different types of wood will have different proportions of the various cell types which make up the wood and different proportions of the various substances which make up the cell walls of the wood cells (cellulose and lignin). This probably accounts for the different floating properties of various kinds of wood." by Dave Williams, Science Department Chair, Valencia Community College

Only that is not waterlogged will float on its own.......M.C.S.

They used to say Natalie Wood doesn't float.. but that was a bad joke from a long time ago.