Customers always have questions concerning the hardnesses of the many different hardwood flooring products on the market. Below are listed the relative wood hardnesses for many of the commonly used wood species in the flooring installations industry.
These ratings were done using the Janka Hardness Test, which measure the force needed to embed a .444 inch steel ball to half its diameter in a piece of wood.
The higher the number the harder the wood. Although this is one of the best methods to measure the ability of wood species to withstand indentations, it should be used as a general guide when comparing various species of wood flooring.
The construction and finish also play an important role in the durability and ease of maintenance of any wood floor. These are the basics regarding hardwood flooring types and their hardnesses. If additional questions pop up concerning hardwood flooring wood hardnesses please consult a local flooring installations expert.
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| Wood Species | Hardness Rating |
|---|---|
| Douglas Fir | 660 |
| Southern Yellow Pine (short leaf) | 690 |
| Southern Yellow Pine (Long leaf) | 870 |
| Black Cherry | 950 |
| Teak | 1000 |
| Black Walnut | 1010 |
| Heart Pine | 1225 |
| Yellow Birch | 1260 |
| Red Oak (Northern) | 1290 |
| American Beech | 1300 |
| Ash | 1320 |
| White Oak | 1360 |
| Australian Cypress | 1375 |
| Hard Maple | 1450 |
| Wenge | 1620 |
| African Pedauk | 1725 |
| Hickory | 1820 |
| Pecan | 1820 |
| Purpleheart | 1860 |
| Jarrah | 1910 |
| Merbau | 1925 |
| Santos Mahogany | 2200 |
| Mesquite | 2345 |
| Brazilian Cherry | 2350 |
08/20/2011 at 4:17 pm
It is amazing the variance in hardness of wood. It’s one of the things that make it such a pleasure to work with.
10/26/2010 at 6:55 pm
I love the look of Brazilian Cherry wood floors.