The janka hardness chart lists woods by their rating. A common use of janka hardness ratings is to determine whether a species. When wood scientists and wood science textbooks talk about wood hardness, its almost universally from my experience anyway a reference to janka hardness. The actual number listed in the wood profile is the amount of poundsforce lb f or newtons n required to imbed a. It is the 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. The mechanical values listed at the top of the page represent the averages between both oldgrowth lumber and secondgrowth lumber. The janka scale is a comprehensive chart of hardness ratings for a huge variety of wood species used for hardwood floors. Janka hardness scale for wood side hardness chart of some woods usda wood handbook wood.
Each specie has unique characteristics, the two most determining of which are hardness and visual appeal or color. The janka hardness test is the wood hardness scale that measures the hardness of wood. Janka hardness using nonstandard specimens forest products. The janka rating is given in poundsforce lbf by measuring how much force is needed to imbed a standard sized steel ball halfway into the wood. By the same token, it also is a good indicator of how hard or easy a species is to saw or nail. In essence, the higher the number on the scale, the harder the wood. Hardness is a measure of the resistance to localized plastic deformation induced by either mechanical indentation or abrasion. The janka scale was developed by the austrian wood researcher named gabriel janka back in 1906. It is the industry standard for gauging the ability of various species to tolerate denting and normal wear, as well as being a good. Though no wood on the scale has this rating, a rating like this would not make for a good floor. Nov 05, 2007 the janka hardness scale is a measurement of the force necessary to embed a. Common red oak with an average janka rating of 1290 is the industry benchmark lor comparing the relative hardness of different wood species bamboo tested on morning star bamboo brand.
The janka hardness test from the austrianborn emigrant gabriel janka, 18641932 measures the resistance of a sample of wood to denting and wear. Janka scale for hardwood floors is a tool to help you make those decisions. Janka hardness scale for wood flooring species county floors. Hardwood flooring hardness guide janka hardness scale. Understanding the janka rating scale best laminate. The resulting data is expressed in poundsforce, or lbf this industry standard assessment is designed to gauge the various wood species hardness, determine its suitability as flooring, and illustrate its tolerance to. It is the 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 work nail, saw, carve, etc.
The janka or side hardness test, measures the force poundssquare inch required to embed a. The janka test was developed as a variation of the brinell hardness test. Types of wood american hardwood information center. Though its good to know a trees hardness, using the janka table to help you buy your hardwood flooring may not make sense. The janka hardness scale determines the hardness of a particular type of wood over another. It is also exceptionally stable, with very little shrinkage or seasonal movement. The hardness and density of wood is often determined by the direction of its grain. Estimating janka hardness from specific gravity for tropical. Wood hardness chart species alphabetical hardness species by hardness hardness mahogany, honduran 800 padauk 1725 mahogany, santos 2200 tabaccowood 1750 maple, hard north american 1450 rosewood, bolivian 1780 maple, ivory 1500 bamboo, carbonized 1800 maple, soft 999 hickory 1820 merbau 1925 pecan 1820 mesquite 2345 yellowheart 1820. Janka hardness scale definition and applications man of. This entry was posted on june 22, 2015 by chris elliott. Janka hardness scale impressions flooring collection. The janka or side hardness test measures the force required to embed a. Home janka hardness scale learn how hard each wood species is.
However, theres another test known as the brinell hardness test, named after swedish engineer johan august brinell. The janka test measures the amount of force required. Redwood the wood database lumber identification softwood. While a harder wood will be more durable, it will also be harder to work with. Although vertical wood grain edge is tested, the results are not displayed on the janka hardness scale. Janka wood hardness scale janka rating for all species. Now, this wood hardness scale is used in determining how hard a particular type of wood is. The following chart will give you a hardness measurement.
And while this example lists just some of the most popular hardwood species, there are hundreds of varieties, representing the north american hardwood population. Welcome to our janka hardness scale for bamboo and eucalyptus flooring page. Basically, the scale should be used as an overall guide for durability. The scale can be helpful when picking a wood for high traffic areas. However, it was only in 1927 when jankas scale was standardized by the american society for testing and materials astm. Red oak with a janka rating of 1290 is the industry benchmark for comparing the relative hardness of different wood species. The janka hardness test is a measurement of the force necessary to embed a.
In the uk, the primary way of measuring the hardness of a species of bamboo or wood is by using the janka hardness test. It is one of the best measures of the ability of a wood species to withstand dent ing and wear. What is the janka hardness scale for bamboo flooring. Woods with a higher rating are harder than woods with a lower rating. The harder a wood is, the more durable and strong it tends to be.
Our chart is based on the janka hardness scale which is the industry standard for gauging the ability of various wood species to resist denting and tolerate normal wear. A harder wood will stand up to high traffic or heavy use better than a softer wood, but it will also be more. Janka hardness chart for exotic wood and domestic wood. Strand woven bamboo and eucalyptus flooring, on average, have janka ratings upwards of 3,800, which is much higher than traditional wood flooring. The janka hardness test measures the resistance of a sample of wood to denting and wear. It was developed as a variation of brinell test measurement method of. 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. The harder a wood is the more durable it tends to be. 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. The janka wood hardness scale is determined by measuring the amount of force that is required to press a steel ball 11. A common use of janka hardness ratings is to determine whether a species is suitable for use as flooring. The scale is determined by the amount of poundforce required to push a. The janka scale is used to determine the relative hardness of particular. Estimating janka hardness from specific gravity for.
Janka hardness of a given wood species is defined by a resistance to indentation test as measured by the load pounds of pressure required to embed a 11. A very popular choice is red oak, such that it has become a benchmark in measuring. Macroscopic hardness is generally characterized by strong intermolecular bonds, but the behavior of solid materials under force is complex. When selecting hardwood floors, consider your home or office layout and traffic patterns. The janka rating is a measure of the amount of force required to push a.
The number of pounds per square inch psi needed to push the steel ball into the wood determines the janka rating. The janka scale can help you choose an appropriate wood for your project. The test measures the force required to push a steel ball with a diameter of 11. 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 astm. Measuring a woods flat or horizontal grain face is the most general way to determine its hardness. Our secondary objective was to provide additional information about the relationship between janka hardness and the hardness modulus specified in astm d 1037. The janka test is a measure of the hardness of wood. The hardest commercially available hardwood is hickory, and it is five times harder than aspen, one of the soft hardwoods. Scott, there is another way of testing hardness, right. Janka hardness while there are many factors to consider when choosing your hardwood flooring, the durability of a particular hardwood is definitely one factor to consider. Janka wood hardness scale janka rating for wood decking. Janka hardness test johnson hardwood how test applies to.
The janka rating scale was created to rank the various degrees of hardness throughout the different species of hardwoods. The test measures the amount of force required to embed a. The janka test measures the amount of force required to embed a 0. Janka, short for the janka scale or janka hardness rating, is a way of communicating how hard a wood is. The janka hardness scale should not be the deciding factor on which wood you will use for floors. To say 1100 to 1200 ilb foot is a not a real good figure, because this is the strenth of oak 1140 and that brings us to the queation, what is the janka on plywood, it s going to be the same as rel wood.
Janka hardness poundsforce australian buloke 5060 schinopsis balansae quebracho colorado red quebracho 4570 lignum vitae guayacan pockenholz 4500 patagonian rosewood curupay angico preto piptadenia macrocarpa brazilian tiger mahogany 3840 snakewood letterhout piratinera guinensis 3800 brazilian olivewood 3700 brazilian. If you have children or animals, very soft wood like pine. A common use of janka hardness ratings is to determine whether a species is continued. Janka side hardness for individual species obtained from the world literature, regression equations were developed to predict side hardness from specific gravity. The highest rating on the scale is a 4000, making for an extremely hard wood, also not likely suitable for flooring because. Janka hardness scale definition and applications man. The number of pounds per square inch psi needed to. This number is given for wood that has been dried to. The hardness of solid wood is measured according to a system called the janka scale. A very popular choice in wood flooring is northern red oak, so popular. Feb 18, 2015 the janka hardness scale is also an excellent indicator of the effort required to drive a nail through a particular type of wood. Schinopsis balansae quebracho colorado red quebracho.
In laymans terms it is a way to measure a woods resistance to denting. Forest service list the relative hardness for numerous wood species used in flooring. Janka hardness scale janka hardness measurements reflect the number of pounds pressure it takes to press a. Janka wood hardness chart hosking hardwood flooring. The janka hardness test was conducted by measuring the amount of force necessary to embed a. Janka scale for hardwood floors indianapolis, indiana. Statistical and graphical methods showed that the hardness specific gravity relationship is the same for tropical and temperate hardwoods, but that the relationship for softwoods is dif.
Janka hardness chart click to load enlarged pdf file. The janka scale gives a good indication of how well a wood species can be expected to withstand dents and dings. The janka hardness scale is a test to rate the relative hardness of a wood flooring. Janka hardness scale the janka hardness test is a measurement of the force necessary to embed a. The janka hardness scale is determined by a controlled test, performed to measure the force necessary to embed a.
To find this number, a steel ball is pushed halfway into a 2 x 2 x 6 wood plank. Janka hardness test measure the hardness or density of wood. The janka hardness scale is a tool used to gauge the re. The janka hardness scale starts at zero, with this option being the softest wood choice, making it easy to dent and scratch. Hardness, or janka value is measured with a test of resistance of a sample of wood to denting and wear. Meyers hardness test determined the fundamental measure of violence depending on the average pressure applied to induce reentry. These ratings were calculated using the janka hardness test, which measures the force needed to embed a. Estimating janka hardness from specific gravity for tropical and temperate species michael c. 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. It is a complex test which consists of driving a small steel ball 11. F101 janka hardness scale lumber liquidators flooring co. Redwood lumber is very soft and lightweight, with a decent strengthtoweight ratio.
The hardness of wood varies with the direction of the wood grain. The industry standard method for determining the hardness of wood products is called the janka hardness test. The test figures out how many pounds per square inch, or psi, of force is needed to push the steel ball half way into the wood plank. These figures are a good indicator of how resistant the wood is to. The janka hardness scale wood hardness scale this scale includes all of the different species of hardwood and rates them according to their hardness and durability against wear and indentations caused by heels of shoes or dropping items on the floor. Janka rating system when in doubt about the type of wood to select for your cabinetry, flooring, furniture or millwork project, refer to the janka rating system, which measures the relative hardness of woods. The janka hardness scale rating has become the industry standard for determining whether a given wood is suitable for flooring material. Using the janka hardness scale to understand hardwood flooring. The janka hardness test measures the resistance of a type of wood to withstand denting and wear. The higher the number, the harder and generally more durable the wood will be. Because hardness is an important factor, and hardness varies for each species, the janka scale of hardness is an excellent tool to help identify appropriate choices. Common red oak with an average janka rating of 1290 is the industry benchmark lor comparing the relative hardness of different wood species bamboo tested on morning star bamboo brand which uses a more mature bamboo 4 year minimum the most commonly used test to assess the hardness of wood is the janka rating. Janka events, although mainly used for hardwood species, are often used to measure the density of bamboo floors.
Janka hardwood scale this scale is the worldwide standard for gauging the ability of various species of wood to endure normal wear and tear. The janka hardness scale often referred to as the janka hardness list is an industry wide measurement of the hardness of wood. The janka hardness scale starts at 0 and goes through 4000, with 4000 being an extremely hard wood, so hard it is difficult to saw. Durability is a major factor to be considered when selecting a floor. Here we will present to you our hardwood flooring hardness guidelets begin. Hardness of a material to deformation is dependent on its microdurability or small scale shear modulus in any direction, not to any rigidity or stiffness properties such as its bulk modulus or youngs modulus. The scale was developed as a means for displaying the results of the janka hardness test.
A measure of the hardness of wood, produced by a variation. Sometimes it helps to know a little about hardwood in general to get a better understanding of what species of wood will best suit the lifestyle you lead. Depending on the room where the flooring will be installed, a certain level of hardness may make it a more desirable choice. Testing is done on samples, not on actual flooring.
Green, research engineer emeritus forest products laboratory, madison, wisconsin introduction in the united states, janka hardness astm d 14394 astm 2006 was initially used as a minimally destruc. However, below a critical grainsize, hardness decreases with decreasing grain size. There may be variations of more or less than 20% on the scale, since this is a scientific test. Procedures hardness tests were conducted using indentations on the. It is the 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.
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