Wood Floor Hardness Comparison

Measuring Hardness

• The universal standard for measuring the hardness of wood flooring is the Janka Hardness Test, which measures the force necessary to drive a standardized steel bearing halfway into a block of wood. The result is a measurement in pounds-force, or lbf, which has been applied to every noteworthy species of wood. The lower the number, the softer the wood.

Defining Hardwood and Softwood

• Every species of wood has an assigned Janka rating. The dividing line between hardwood and softwood is somewhat flexible. Most woods rated below 1,100 are considered softwoods, and most woods rated above 1,800 carry the informal designation of hard hardwoods. However, it is important to recognize that trees vary according to their soil and climate conditions, so where the species falls on the Janka scale may not tell you exactly the hardness of your own flooring. It's also important to realize that some floor finishes impart significant additional hardness to the wood.

Soft Woods Offer Historic Appeal

• The pioneers built their homes using the closest available materials, and most Americans have seen historic homes with floors made from cedar, cypress, southern yellow pine, white birch and spruce. These woods measure from 420 to 900 on the Janka scale. After 100 or more years, those aged floors still retain their beauty, and their softness has actually become a part of their appeal. An antique softwood floor will display the nicks, dents and wear that people now pay extra for when they buy faux distressed wood for its rustic ambiance. A new unvarnished softwood floor is so malleable that you can scratch it with your thumbnail, but after a couple coats of urethane finish, it should be tough enough for most households.

Soft Hardwoods

• With Janka ratings between 950 and 1225, heart pine, larch and black cherry are among the softer of the true hardwoods. They often come in wide planks to supply an old-fashioned rural or old west look. Many lumbermen think of these species as softwood, but once they have been kiln dried and converted to flooring, they are usually much tougher in terms of impact and abrasion resistance. It's important to remember that these tree species vary in hardness by region.

Traditional Hardwoods

• The traditional North American hardwoods include red oak, white oak, hard maple, ash and hickory and represent the most popular choices in flooring. They carry a Janka rating between 1290 and 1800. When made into flooring, these woods usually come with a smooth finish that does not require aggressive protection from routine scuffing and scraping with heavy varnish coats. Tightly spaced, narrow planking is possible with these woods because they do not exhibit the expansion and contraction cycles common to some softer woods. Although it's an imported wood, bamboo offers these same characteristics.

Hard Hardwoods

• These woods are so hard and dense that they can manage a great deal of abuse. The most exotic looking varieties -- ipe, Santos mahogany, Brazilian cherry, and tiger wood -- are imported tropical hardwoods. North American woods include hickory and pecan. Ipe is as hard as concrete, with a Janka rating of 3680, and this entire group of woods is rated over 1,800 on the scale. Unfortunately, the extreme hardness of these materials can sometimes be problematic. Ipe is more than three times as hard as larch, and that may lead it to crack indoors in arid environments. As a result, engineered flooring may be preferable when considering these species of woods.