How hard are your hardwood floors? The Janka test measures hardness of wood flooring by measuring the resistance of driving half of a .444 inch steel ball into various types of wood. Manufacturers use this test to determine if a species would make good flooring, and homeowners can refer to it to select the best fit for their home.
Click to enlarge hardness chart
How hard does your wood need to be? Hardwood floors get scratched and dented through normal use, and if you have kids or pets it’s likely to happen more often. Why not just pick the hardest wood available? One reason is it almost always costs a lot more than softer and medium-grade woods. Harder wood is also harder to saw, drill and nail which means higher cost for time and labor as well.
What wood is best for you? This convenient chart (courtesy of About.com) provides the full spectrum, from Douglas Fir – terrible for hard use – to Brazilian Walnut and Bamboo.
Trying to decide how hard you need your hardwood flooring to be? Give us a call! We’re happy to help you figure out the best range for your home.
Photo courtesy of Armstrong
2 Comments
M McGwire
January 27, 2012I am trying to decide between Wenge and White Oak for my new hardwood flooring. I have two dogs that can (and have) caused significant damage on my current wood flooring. Which would you recommend for my new flooring?
Butch Kirk
January 27, 2012Wenge is a harder wood then White Oak, but more important is the type of finish that is used.
I highly suggest Traffic made by Bona, its much nicer than Aluminum Oxide and can be re-screened and recoated. Aluminum Oxide can only be sanded and refinished!