Wood Hardness Chart

The Janka hardness test measures the force required to embed a .444 inch steel ball to half its diameter in wood. It is one of the best measures of the ability of a wood species to withstand denting and wear. The higher the number, the harder the wood is. A rating is not in this chart for bamboo, as bamboo flooring varies greatly between different manufacturers products. For instance, the CFS Premium Green bamboo has a rating of 1380.

Quality Floor Company Inc.

Oklahoma City's Premium Quality Wood Flooring Company

Relative Hardness of Wood Flooring Species

Below are listed the relative hardness for numerous wood species used in flooring. These ratings were done using the Janka Hardness Test. The higher the number the harder the wood. This should be used as a general guide when comparing various species of wood flooring. Ratings will vary from where and when a tree was obtained.

Brazilian Walnut
Brazilian Teak
Purpleheart
Brazilian Cherry (Jatoba)
African Rose (Bubigna)
Gum, Spotted
Mesquite
Mahogany, Santos
Gum, Sydney Blue
Merbau
Jarrah
Hickory / Pecan
Padauk
Wenge
Brazilian Maple
Sapele
Maple, hard
Cypress, Australian
Oak, white
Oak, Tasmanian
Ash, white
Beech
Oak, Northern red
Birch
Iroko
Pine, heart (antique)
Teak, Thai/Burmese
Walnut, American black
Cherry, black
Pine, Southern yellow (longleaf)
Pine, Southern yellow (loblolly/shortleaf)
Douglas Fir

Back