List Of Hardwoods Based On Hardness

Woods with a higher rating are harder than woods with a lower rating.

List of hardwoods based on hardness.

A common use of janka hardness ratings is to determine whether a species is suitable for use as flooring. Exhibited by actual specimens and with copious explanatory text by romeyn b. Our chart is based on the janka hardness scale which is the industry standard for gauging the ability of various wood species to resist denting and tolerate normal wear. It is one of the best measures of the ability of a wood species to withstand denting and wear.

For more information on non native species refer to the don t be fooled article. Each wood species is listed in alphabetical order on each chart with its corresponding related number next to each species. The scale used in the table is pounds force. The higher the number the harder the wood is this should be used as a general guide when comparing various species of wood flooring.

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 scale is used to determine the relative hardness of particular domestic or exotic wood species. Ncsu inside wood project reproduction of the american woods. It also indicates the effort required to either nail or saw the particular wood species.

Hough us forest products laboratory characteristics and availability of commercially important wood from the wood handbook pdf 916k. The woods are listed from hardest to softest so the higher the number the harder the. While some tropical hardwoods can be used for interior applications including flooring the color grain pattern hardness and luster of many imported woods differ from those of american hardwoods. Density hardness stiffness and strength here you ll find charts that break down the wood types by density hardness stiffness and strength.

The most common test for testing wood hardness is known as the janka hardness test. The actual number listed in the wood profile is the amount of pounds force lb f or newtons n required to imbed a 444 11 28 mm diameter steel ball into the wood to half the ball s diameter. Wood hardness chart species alphabetical hardness species by hardness hardness mahogany honduran 800 padauk 1725 mahogany santos 2200 tabaccowood 1750 maple hard north american 1450 rosewood bolivian 1780 maple ivory 1500 bamboo carbonized 1800 maple soft 999 hickory 1820 merbau 1925 pecan 1820 mesquite 2345 yellowheart 1820.