Hardwood Flooring That Won't Scratch

The Janka Hardness Scale

• You can determine which woods are hardest by checking out the Janka Hardness Scale, but that rating system measures a wood's dent-resistance, not its scratch-resistance. Still, it gives you a good starting point, because the lower-rated wood species are also more vulnerable to deep scratches and scrapes, while the harder woods cannot be so easily penetrated.

The Toughest Woods

• Ipe, tigerwood and santos mahogany are tropical hardwoods that have become popular for flooring because of their unique color profile and their extreme hardness. Domestic hardwoods such as hickory and locust have similar appeal. While familiar choices such as white oak, red oak and sugar maple are somewhat softer varieties of wood, their grain pattern can make ordinary scratches seem less apparent than similar marks on harder, darker woods.

Protective Finishes

• A tough finish may actually play a larger role in scratch resistance than the hardness of the wood itself. A traditional penetrating oil forms a tough protective bond within the surface of softer species of woods and allows whatever scratches that may occur to be easily sanded away and refinished. A modern polyurethane finish builds a protective film over the surface of the floor to absorb any potential scratches before they can reach the wood itself. Factory applied metal oxide fortified urethanes have been reinforced with micro-particles of aluminum or titanium for added strength.

The Best Wood and Finish Combinations

• In theory, an ipe wood floor that features a titanium oxide urethane finish would be the most scratch resistant choice. But softer, lighter-colored woods, such as sugar maple or oak, that are protected with an aluminum oxide fortified urethane finish will likely be tough enough for most homes. With proper care, these domestic hardwoods will wear extremely well and whatever finish scratches develop over time should not be noticeable.