Janka Wood Flooring Hardness Rating Chart

Forest service list the relative hardness for numerous wood species used in flooring.

Janka wood flooring hardness rating chart.

Woods with a higher rating are harder than woods with a lower rating. The scale used in the table is pounds force. Important to note is the fact that during the janka hardness test specimens contain about 12 moisture. Wood flooring however has been milled at about 6 9 moisture content and by the time you walk on it has been treated with several layers of protective finish.

The janka hardness chart was created as a result of the janka hardness test. These ratings were calculated using the janka hardness test which measures the force needed to embed a 444 inch steel ball to half its diameter in a piece of wood. The janka test measures the hardness of wood so that wood species can be compared to one another. The janka scale is used to determine the relative hardness of particular domestic or exotic wood species.

The scale was invented in 1906 by gabriel janka an austrian wood researcher and standardized in 1927 by the american society for testing and materials depending on the room where the flooring will be installed a certain level of hardness may make it a more desirable choice. It is important to remember that the testing process used in the janka scale is an impact test not a test of scratching scuffing or any other wear and tear that flooring experiences. Although not exact the scale is a good reference for which hardwood can. The janka test measures the amount of force required to embed a 0 444 steel ball into the wood to half of its diameter.

To learn the basic hardness of different common woods used in flooring check the chart below. The janka hardness scale determines the hardness of a particular type of wood over another. The higher the number the harder the wood.