Wood Hardness

The industry standard for determining the hardness of a hardwood floor is the Janka hardness test. The Janka hardness test measures the force required to embed a .444 inch steel ball into half its diameter in wood. Janka ratings range from soft woods such as Douglas Fir (660) to Brazilian Walnut (3680).

As a general rule, the harder a wood, the more resistant it is to damage. However, some people place too much emphasis on hardness, after all, all the hardwood species we offer have proven suitable for hardwood floors (notice there are no balsa wood floors). Also, harder woods are more prone to chipping when stricken, while softer woods will dent; and a dent is easier to repair than a chip.

Nonetheless, some Janka ratings prove more suitable than others for specific applications. For any commercial applications— which will receive high volume traffic, delivery carts, and more—we always recommend a harder wood. For home applications, some of the determining factors are "Do you have children?" "Do you have pets?" "For which parts of your home are you considering hardwood flooring?" To help make your selection process easier, we've prepared a quick questionnaire that will lead you to some recommendations based upon your lifestyle.