Janka Hardness Scale
How hard is hard?
Trying to figure which wood to use for a project? Compare different species based on their hardness.
hardness of wood
The Janka hardness test is a measurement of the force necessary to embed a .444-inch steel ball to half its diameter in wood.
It is a flooring industry standard for gauging the ability of various species to tolerate denting and normal wear, as well as being a good indication of the effort required to either nail or saw the particular wood.
Please note that this is just a partial list containing some of the most popular choices for woods we work with.
| Wood Species | Hardness |
|---|---|
| Hickory | 1820 |
| Locust | 1700 |
| Hard Maple ( Sugar) | 1450 |
| Coffee Bean | 1390 |
| White Oak | 1360 |
| Ash (White) | 1320 |
| Red Oak (Northern) | 1290 |
| Heart Pine | 1225 |
| Black Walnut | 1010 |
| Black Cherry | 950 |
| Paper Birch | 910 |
| Cedar | 900 |
| Southern Yellow Pine | 870 |
| Douglas Fir | 660 |
| Chestnut | 540 |
| Hemlock | 500 |
| White Pine | 420 |
| Basswood | 410 |
| Eastern White Pine | 380 |