Hickory Flooring Hardness Scale

It measures the force required to embed an 11 28 millimetres 0 444 in diameter steel ball halfway into a sample of wood.

Hickory flooring hardness scale.

Understanding how the janka hardness scale works is simple. In short a higher number rating on the janka scale equates to a harder wood species. Hickory wood flooring scores 1 820 on the scale whereas douglas fir is only rated 660 yellow birch is rated 1 260 white oak is rated 1 360 maple. A janka rating provides a great barometer for determining how well a particular floor may withstand denting and wear.

The industry standard for hardness the hardness of a wood is rated on an industry wide standard known as the janka test. The janka hardness scale determines the hardness of a particular type of wood over another. The janka hardness test from the austrian born emigrant gabriel janka 1864 1932 measures the resistance of a sample of wood to denting and wear. The janka hardness test measures the force required to embed a 444 inch steel ball to half its diameter in wood.

A common use of janka hardness ratings is to determine whether a species is suitable for use as flooring. It is also a good indicator of how hard a. Janka hardness ratings of wood species. To learn the basic hardness of different common woods used in flooring check the chart below.

The lower the number the softer. The janka scale is used to determine the relative hardness of particular domestic or exotic wood species. Hickory flooring creates a bright elegant look. It is important to remember that the testing process used in the janka scale is an impact test not a test of scratching scuffing or any other wear and tear that flooring experiences.

Below are listed the relative hardness for numerous wood species used in flooring. This test is one of the best measures of the ability of a wood specie to withstand denting and wear. These ratings were done using the janka hardness test. The janka test measures the amount of force required to embed a 0 444 steel ball into the wood to half of its diameter.

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 depending on the room where the flooring will be installed a certain level of hardness may make it a more desirable choice. Woods with a higher rating are harder than woods with a lower rating. The national wood flooring association uses the janka hardness test to evaluate the hardness of a wood which measures how much pressure it takes to push a steel ball halfway into a piece of wood. The scale used in the table is pounds force.