| Janka Hardness is a test which measures the pounds of force it
takes to drive a .44" diameter steel ball 1/2 its depth into wood.
These numbers are taken from various publications but principally are
from the U.S. Forest Products lab. The higher the number the
harder the species. |
|
Domestic Species - to North America |
|
Flooring Trade Name |
Botanical Name |
Hardness
- Janka |
|
Ash, White |
Fraxinus,
excelsior |
1320 |
|
Cherry,
N. American |
Prunus, serotina |
950 |
|
Maple,
N. American |
Acer, saccharum |
1450 |
|
Oak, Red |
Quercus,
rubra |
1260 |
|
Oak, White |
Quercus, alba |
1360 |
|
Walnut,
N. American |
Juglans, nigra |
1010 |
|
Imported Species - to North America
|
|
Flooring
Trade Name |
Botanical Name |
Hardness
- Janka |
|
Afrormosia |
Pericopsis, elata |
1560 |
|
Amendoim |
Pterogyne,
nitens |
1340 |
|
Angelique |
Dicorynia, guianensis |
1290 |
|
Ash,
Silky |
Couratari,
spp |
1460 |
Ash,
Victorian
(Oak, Tasmanian) |
Eucalyptus, delegatensis |
1010 |
|
Beech,
European |
Fagus,
slyvatica |
1300 |
|
Bloodwood |
Brosimum,
rubescens |
2900 |
|
Brushbox,
Northern |
Tristania, spp |
2045 |
|
Bubinga |
Guibourtia, demeusei |
1980 |
|
Cherry,
Bolivian |
Manilkara,
bidentata |
3190 |
|
Cherry, Brazilian |
Hymenaea, courbaril |
2820 |
Cherry,
Caribbean
(Mayan/Aztec) |
Lonchocarpus, castilloi |
3100 |
|
Flooring
Trade Name |
Botanical Name |
Hardness
- Janka |
|
Cherry,
Chilean |
Nothofagus,
dombeyi |
990 |
|
Chestnut |
Castanea,
sativa |
540 |
|
Chestnut, Southern |
Sweetia, panamensis |
2670 |
|
Cypress, Australian |
Callitrus, glauca |
1375 |
|
Doussie |
Afzelia, spp |
1770 |
|
Gum, Sydney Blue |
Eucalyptus, saligna |
2025 |
|
Iroko/Kambala |
Chloraphora,
excelsa |
1260 |
|
Jarrah |
Eucalyptus,
marginata |
1915 |
|
Kempas |
Koompassia, malaccensis |
1710 |
|
Flooring
Trade Name |
Botanical Name |
Hardness
- Janka |
|
Lacewood |
Roupala, brasiliensis |
840 |
|
Mahogany, Honduran |
Swietenia, macrophylla |
800 |
|
Mahogany, Royal |
Pithecellobium, arboreum |
1400 |
|
Mahogany, Santos |
Myroxylon, balsamum |
2200 |
Maple,
Patagonian
(Brazilian) |
Balfourodendron,
riedelianum |
1500 |
|
Merbau |
Intsia, spp |
1925 |
|
Padauk, African |
Pterocarpus, soyauxii |
1725 |
|
Pine,
Heart |
Pinus,
caribaea |
910 |
|
Flooring
Trade Name |
Botanical Name |
Hardness
- Janka |
|
Purpleheart |
Peltogyne,
spp |
2090 |
|
Rosewood,
Bolivian |
Machaerium,
sclieroxylon |
1780 |
|
Rosewood,
Caribbean |
Metopium, browneii |
2300 |
|
Rosewood,
Honduran |
Dalbergia, Stevensonii |
2200 |
|
Rosewood,
Patagonian |
Piptadenia, macrocarpa |
2800 |
|
Rosewood,
Tiete |
Guibourtia,
chodatianal |
2800 |
|
Shedua/Mutenye |
Guibourtia, arnoldiana |
1650 |
|
Tamarind |
Dialium, guianense |
3000 |
|
Teak,
Brazilian |
Dipteryx,
odorata |
3540 |
|
Flooring
Trade Name |
Botanical Name |
Hardness
- Janka |
|
Teak,
True |
Tectona, grandis |
1155 |
|
Tigerwood |
Astronium, spp |
2160 |
|
Timborana |
Piptadenia,
suaveolens |
1570 |
|
Walnut,
Brazilian |
Tabebuia, spp |
3680 |
Walnut,
Caribbean
(Mayan/Aztec) |
Lysiloma,
bahamensis |
1400 |
|
Walnut,
Patagonian |
Tabebuia, heptaphylla |
2800 |
|
Walnut,
Peruvian |
Juglans, neotropica |
1080 |
|
Wenge |
Milletia, laurentii |
1630 |
|
Zebrawood |
Microberlina, brazzavillensis |
1575 |
|
