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Janka Hardness Scale for Wood Flooring Species
The Janka hardness test is a measurement of the force necessary to embed a .444-inch steel ball to half its diameter in wood, expressed in pounds-force (lbf). It is the industry standard for gauging the ability of various species to tolerate denting and normal wear, as well as being a good indicator of the effort required either to nail or to saw a particular type of wood. The nigher the number, the harder the wood.
These numbers are averages based on a range of standard deviation for each species of wood tested. Please note that this is just a partial list containing some of the most popular choices in wood flooring as well as some of the more exotic species we carry.
For a detailed description of a particular species, click on its name to view a wood flooring specification page on that type of wood. Also, see our grade-specific Janka scale for a graphical comparison of the ratings of various types of hardwood flooring.
