Hardwood Floor Hardness Rating Scale

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

Hardwood floor hardness rating scale.

The janka test measures the force required to embed a 444 inch steel ball into the wood by half its diameter. It measures the force required to embed an 11 28 millimetres 0 444 in diameter steel ball halfway into a sample of wood. Understanding how the janka hardness scale works is simple. The janka hardness scale determines the hardness of a particular type of wood over another.

The lower the number the softer. In short a higher number rating on the janka scale equates to a harder wood species. Still the very impressive janka ratings accurately depict the excellent durability of these non wood flooring products. Featured hardwood products the janka process of measuring the hardness of wood begins with embedding a steel ball 0 444 inches in size until it reaches halfway of its diameter into the wood.

The janka hardness test from the austrian born emigrant gabriel janka 1864 1932 measures the resistance of a sample of wood to denting and wear. The best wood for hardwood flooring typically falls above 1000 on the scale. The higher the rating usually means it is harder to work with then the woods lower in the janka hardness scale. The janka hardness test is often applied to bamboo and eucalyptus flooring products after manufacturing a process that artificially hardens the material by the addition of resins.

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. Wood hardness chart species alphabetical hardness species by hardness hardness afromosia 1560 basswood 410 amberwood 2200 butternut 490 amendoim 1360 chestnut domestic 540 angelique 1290 douglass fir 660 aniegre 1110 yellow pine short leaf 690 ash domestic white 1320 sycamore american 770 ash victorian 1010 yellow pine long leaf 870. All these ratings have been organized onto a scale called the janka hardness scale. 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 industry standard for hardness the hardness of a wood is rated on an industry wide standard known as the janka test. The janka hardness test measures the force required to embed a 444 inch steel ball to half its diameter in wood. A common use of janka hardness ratings is to determine whether a species is suitable for use as flooring. A janka rating provides a great barometer for determining how well a particular floor may withstand denting and wear.

This test is one of the best measures of the ability of a wood specie to withstand denting and wear. It is also a good indicator of how hard a.