Janka Rating & Why it Matters!
Hardwood flooring species are measures by relative hardness ranking systems called Janka. The hardwood flooring species are normally classified as very hard species and less hard species. Very hard species are highly durable and last several years. The less hard species do not have a long life but sawing and nailing them to a subfloor is much easier. The hardness of the wood is calculated by the Janka Ball Hardness Test.
Normally, the Janka Ball Hardness Test is done by measuring the force that is required to embed 11.28 mm steel ball into the wood up to a distance of half the diameter. This test enables the user to determine the capacity of the wood to withstand wear and denting. Further, this test also helps in evaluating the hardness of the wood for sawing and nailing.
The Janka hardwood flooring species are ranked in a range of 350-3800. Red Oak, which is one of the most common hardwoods in flooring species, possesses a hardness of 1250, considered as low hardness. On the other hand, Brazilian Cherry has a Janka hardness of 2350; nearly double that of Red Oak. As such, Brazilian Cherry would be much more durable than Red Oak.
However, harder wood species are more expensive. Red Oak is one of the most inexpensive and readily available wooden flooring materials. Still, if you plan to stay in your home for several years, you would be better off using a harder wooden material. Moreover, houses with very hard Janka hardwood flooring species are generally valued higher in the market and selling them in future would be easier and faster.
Additionally, harder floors need not be sanded very often and the cost of maintenance of these floors is much lesser, though the initial cost might be higher. Contrarily, softer flooring materials are less expensive while laying them but the maintenance cost is higher since they require sanding frequently. The life of the floor is also shortened in this process.
The hardwood flooring species have varying hardness ratings according to the Janka scale; which are provided here for easy reference.
The colors of Janka hardwood flooring species also varies widely. Certain species have colors that remain constant. A few species, however, have photosensitive colors and the colors change according to the light to which they are exposed. These variations in hardness and color help people to choose a vast variety of texture, look, and general effect. A brief description of a few select Janka hardwood flooring species is provided below.
White Ash is widely used as flooring material and in cabinet making. It is one of the favorite flooring species and it is much easier to work with it. Even though it is not as hard as white oak or red oak, beautiful and attractive tonal ranges of colors are available in white ash. These colors are darkened over the years and become richer in tone because of high photosensitivity of white ash.
White oak is generally pale in color and it is harder than red oak. As such, red oak is easier for sawing and nailing than white oak. Still, both are widely used for various flooring applications and are favored by many people.
Merbau is harder than oak and it is preferred for its even texture and abrasion resistance nature. This makes it an ideal Janka hardwood flooring species for people who prefer durable flooring. It had been popular from the time people started settling in North America and the popularity had not diminished with time.
Walnut is another Janka hardwood flooring species that is notable for its exotic color. The rich brown appearance in the beginning turns into a lustrous coffee color when the wood gradually ages. Moreover, walnut is much harder than several other types of wood materials like mahogany. Hence, it is a favorite choice for home and office flooring for the rich texture and high durability.
Janka Rating Scale
| Common Name | Scientific Name | Side hardness, Janka test, at 12% moisture content | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kilonewtons | Pounds of Force | ||
| afromosia | Pericopsis elata | 7.1 | 1560 |
| albarco | Cariniana spp. | 4.5 | 1020 |
| alder, red | Alnus rubra | 2.6 | 590 |
| alder, white | Alnus rhombifolia | ||
| andiroba | Carapa guianensis | 5.0 | 1130 |
| angelin | Andira inermis | 7.8 | 1750 |
| angelique | Dicorynia guianensis | 5.7 | 1290 |
| apple | Malus sylvestris | 7.7 | 1730 |
| ash, black | Fraxinus nigra | 3.8 | 850 |
| ash, blue | Fraxinus quadrangulata | 9.0 | 2030 |
| ash, green | Fraxinus pennsylvanica | 5.3 | 1200 |
| ash, oregon | Fraxinus latifolia | 5.2 | 1160 |
| ash, pumpkin | Fraxinus profunda | 4.4 | 990 |
| ash, white | Fraxinus americana | 5.9 | 1320 |
| aspen, bigtooth | Populus grandidentata | 1.9 | 420 |
| aspen, quaking | Populus tremuloides | 1.6 | 350 |
| avodire | Turraeanthus africanus | 4.8 | 1080 |
| azobe | Lophira aiata | 14.9 | 3350 |
| baldcypress | Taxcodium distichum | 2.3 | 570 |
| balsa | Ochroma pyramidale | ||
| banak | Virola spp. | 2.3 | 510 |
| basswood, American | Tilia americana | 1.8 | 410 |
| basswood, Carolina | Tilia caroliniana | ||
| basswood, white | Tilia heterophylla | ||
| beech, American | Fagus grandifolia | 5.8 | 1300 |
| benge | Guibourtia amoldiana | 7.8 | 1750 |
| birch, gray | Betula populifolia | 3.4 | 760 |
| birch, paper | Betula papyrifera | 4.0 | 910 |
| birch, river | Betula nigra | ||
| birch, sweet | Betula lenta | 6.5 | 1470 |
| birch, yellow | Betula alleghaniensis | 5.6 | 1260 |
| boxelder | Acer negundo | 3.2 | 720 |
| bubinga | Guibourtia spp. | 12.0 | 2690 |
| buckeye, Ohio | Aesculus glabra | ||
| buckeye, yellow | Aesculus octandra | 1.6 | 350 |
| buckthorn, cascara | Rhamnus purshiana | 4.6 | 1040 |
| bulletwood | Manilkara bidentata | 14.2 | 3190 |
| butternut | Juglans cinerea | 2.2 | 490 |
| buttonwood | Conocarpus erectus | ||
| catalpa, northern | Catalpa speciosa | 2.4 | 550 |
| catalpa, southern | Catalpa bignonioides | 2.4 | 550 |
| cativo | Prioria copaifera | 2.8 | 630 |
| cedar, Alaska | Chamaecyparis nootkatensis | 2.6 | 580 |
| cedar, atlantic white | Chamaecyparis thyoides | 1.6 | 350 |
| cedar, Port Orford | Chamaecyparis lawsoniana | 3.2 | 720 |
| cedar, yellow | 2.6 | 580 | |
| ceiba | Ceiba pentandra | 1.1 | 240 |
| cherry, black | Prunus serotina | 4.2 | 950 |
| chestnut, American | Castenea dentata | 2.4 | 540 |
| chinkapin, giant | Castanopsis chrysophylla | 3.2 | 730 |
| coffeetree, Kentucky | Gymnocladus dioicus | 6,2 | 1390 |
| cottonwood) balsam poplar | Populus balsamifera | 1.3 | 300 |
| cottonwood, black | Populus trichocarpa | 1.6 | 350 |
| cottonwood, eastern | Populus deltoides | 1.9 | 430 |
| courbaril | Hymenaea courbaril | 10.5 | 2350 |
| cuangare | Dialyanthera spp. | 1.7 | 380 |
| cypress, Mexican | Cupressus lustianica | 2.0 | 460 |
| degame | Calycophyllum candidissimum | 8.6 | 1940 |
| determa | Ocotea rubra | 2.9 | 660 |
| dogwood, flowering | Cornus florida | 9.6 | 2150 |
| Douglas-fir, coast | Pseudotsuga menziesii | 3.2 | 710 |
| Douglas-fir. interior west | Pseudotsuga menziesii | 2.9 | 660 |
| Douglas-fir, interior north | Pseudotsuga menziesii | 2.7 | 600 |
| Douglas-fir, interior south | Pseudotsuga menziesii | 2.3 | 510 |
| ekop | Tetraberlinia tubmaniana | ||
| elder, blue | Sambucus cerulea | 3.7 | 840 |
| elm, american | Ulmus americana | 3.7 | 830 |
| elm, cedar | Ulmus crassifolia | 5.9 | 1320 |
| elm, rock | Ulmus thomasii | 5.9 | 1320 |
| elm, slippery | Ulmus rubra | 3.8 | 860 |
| elm, winged | Ulmus alata | 6.8 | 1540 |
| fir, balsam | Abies balsamea | 1.8 | 400 |
| fir, California red | Abies magnifica | 2.2 | 500 |
| fir, grand | Abies grandis | 2.2 | 490 |
| fir, noble | Abies procera | 1.8 | 410 |
| fir, pacific silver | Abies amabilis | 1.9 | 430 |
| fir, subalpine | Abies lasiocarpa | 1.6 | 350 |
| fir, white | Abies concolor | 2.1 | 480 |
| goncalo alves | Astronium graveolens | 9.6 | 2160 |
| greenheart | Chlorocardium rodiei | 10.5 | 2350 |
| hackberry | Celtis occidentalis | 3.9 | 880 |
| hackberry, netleaf | Celtis reticulata | ||
| (hackberry) sugarberry | Celtis laevigata | ||
| hemlock, eastern | Tsuga canadensis | 2.2 | 500 |
| hemlock, mountain | Tsuga mertensiana | 3.0 | 680 |
| hemlock, western | Tsuga heterophylla | 2.4 | 540 |
| hickory, bitternut | Carya cordiformis | ||
| hickory, black | Carya texana | ||
| hickory, nutmeg | Carya myristicaeformis | ||
| hickory, pecan | Carya illinoensis | 8.1 | 1820 |
| hickory, sand | Carya pallida | ||
| hickory, water | Carya aquatica | ||
| hickory. mockernut | Carya tomentosa | ||
| hickory, pignut | Carya glabra | ||
| hickory, shagbark | Carya ovata | ||
| hickory, shellbark | Carya lacinosa | ||
| holly, American | Ilex opaca | 4.5 | 1020 |
| honeylocust | Gleditsia triacanthos | 7.0 | 1580 |
| hophornbeam, eastern | Ostrya virginiana | 8.3 | 1860 |
| hornbeam, American | Carpinus caroliniana | 7.9 | 1780 |
| hura | Hura crepitans | 2.4 | 550 |
| ilomba | Pycnanthus angolensis | 2.7 | 610 |
| incense-cedar | Libocedrus decurrens | 2.1 | 470 |
| ipe | Tabebula spp., lapacho group | 16.4 | 3680 |
| iroko | Chlorophora spp. | 5.6 | 1260 |
| jarrah | Eucalyptus marginata | 8.5 | 1910 |
| jelutong | Dyera costulata | 1.7 (@15%) |
390 |
| juniper, alligator | Juniperus deppeana | 5.2 | 1160 |
| juniper, western | Juniperus occidentalis | ||
| kaneelhart | Licaria spp. | 12.9 | 2900 |
| kapur | Dryobalanops spp. | 5.5 | 1230 |
| karri | Eucalyptus diversicolor | 9.1 | 2040 |
| kempas | Koompassia malaccensis | 7.6 | 1710 |
| keruing | Dipterocarpus spp. | 5.6 | 1270 |
| larch, western | Larix occidentalis | 3.7 | 830 |
| laurel, California | Umbellularia californica | 5.6 | 1270 |
| laurel, mountain | Kalmia latifolia | 8.0 | 1790 |
| lignumvitae | Guaiacum spp. | 20.0 | 4500 |
| limba | Terminalia superba | 2.2 | 490 |
| locust, black | Robinia pseudoacacia | 7.6 | 1700 |
| macawood | Platymiscium spp. | 14.0?? | 3150 |
| madrone, Pacific | Arbutus menziesii | 6.5 | 1460 |
| (magnolia) cucumber tree | Magnolia acuminata | 3.1 | 700 |
| magnolia, southern | Magnolia grandiflora | 4.5 | 1020 |
| (magnolia) sweetbay | Magnolia virginiana | ||
| mahogany, African | Khaya spp. | 3.7 | 830 |
| mahogany, true | Swietenia macrophylla | 3.6 | 800 |
| manbarklak | Eschweilera spp. | 15.5 | 3480 |
| manni | Symphonia globulifera | 5.0 | 1120 |
| maple, bigleaf | Acer macrophyllum | 3.8 | 850 |
| maple, black | Acer nigrum | 5.2 | 1180 |
| maple, red | Acer rubrum | 4.2 | 950 |
| maple, silver | Acer saccharimum | 3.1 | 700 |
| maple, sugar | Acer saccharum | 6.4 | 1450 |
| marishballi | Lincania spp. | 15.9 | 3570 |
| merbau | Intsia spp. | 6.7 (@15%) |
1500 |
| mersawa | Anisoptera spp. | 5.7 | 1290 |
| mesquite | Prosopis spp. | ||
| mora | Mora spp. | 10.2 | 2300 |
| oak, black | Quercus velutina | 5.4 | 1210 |
| oak, cherrybark | Quercus falcata var pagodifolia | 6.6 | 1480 |
| oak, southern red | Quercus falcata | 4.7 | 1060 |
| oak, laurel | Quercus laurifolia | 5.4 | 1210 |
| oak, northern red | Quercus rubra | 5.7 | 1290 |
| oak, pin | Quercus palustris | 6.7 | 1510 |
| oak, scarlet | Quercus coccinea | 6.2 | 1400 |
| oak, shumard | Quercus shumardii | ||
| oak, water | Quercus nigra | 5.3 | 1190 |
| oak, willow | Quercus phellos | 6.5 | 1460 |
| oak, bur | Quercus macrocarpa | 6.1 | 1370 |
| oak, chestnut | Quercus prinus | 5.0 | 1130 |
| oak, live | Quercus virginiana | ||
| oak, overcup | Quercus lyrata | 5.3 | 1190 |
| oak, post | Quercus stellata | 6.0 | 1360 |
| oak, swamp chestnut | Quercus michauxii | 5.5 | 1240 |
| oak, swamp white | Quercus bicolor | 7.2 | 1620 |
| oak, white | Quercus alba | 6.0 | 1360 |
| obeche | Triplochiton scleroxylon | 1.9 | 430 |
| okoume | Aucoumea klaineana | 1.7 | 380 |
| opepe | Nauclea diderrichii | 7.3 | 1630 |
| osage orange | Maclura pomifera | 9.1 (green) |
2040 (green) |
| ovangkoi | Goubertia ehie | ||
| para-angelim | Hymenolobium excelsum | 7.7 | 1720 |
| parana-pine | Araucaria augustifolia | 3.5 | 780 |
| pau marfim | Balfourodendron riedelianum | ||
| peroba de campos | Paratecoma peroba | 7.1 | 1600 |
| peroba rosa | Aspidosperma spp., peroba group | 7.7 | 1730 |
| persimmon, common | Diospyros virginiana | 10.2 | 2300 |
| pilon | Hyeronima spp. | 7.6 | 1700 |
| pine, Caribbean | Pinus caribaea | 5.5 | 1240 |
| pine, eastern white | Pinus strobus | 1.7 | 380 |
| pine, jack | Pinus banksiana | 2.5 | 570 |
| pine, Jeffrey | Pinus jeffreyi | 2.2 | 500 |
| pine, limber | Pinus flexilis | 1.9 | 430 |
| pine, loblolly | Pinus taeda | 3.1 | 690 |
| pine, lodgepole | Pinus contorta | 2.1 | 480 |
| pine, longleaf | Pinus palustris | 3.9 | 870 |
| pine, ocote | Pinus oocarpa | 4.0 | 910 |
| pine, pinyon | Pinus edulis | 3.8 | 860 |
| pine, pitch | Pinus rigida | 2.8 | 620 |
| pine, pond | Pinus serotina | 3.3 | 740 |
| pine, ponderosa | Pinus ponderosa | 2.0 | 460 |
| pine, Monterey | Pinus radiata | 3.3 | 750* |
| pine. red | Pinus resinosa | 2.5 | 560 |
| pine, sand | Pinus clausa | 3.3 | 730 |
| pine, shortleaf | Pinus echinata | 3.1 | 690 |
| pine, slash | Pinus elliotti | ||
| pine, spruce | Pinus glabra | 2.9 | 660 |
| pine, sugar | Pinus lambertiana | 1.7 | 380 |
| pine, Table Mountain | Pinus pungens | 2.9 | 660 |
| pine, virginia | Pinus virginiana | 3.3 | 740 |
| pine, western white | Pinus monticola | 1.9 | 420 |
| piquia | Caryocar spp. | 7.7 | 1720 |
| primavera | Tabebula donnell-smithii | 2.9 | 660 |
| purpleheart | Peltogyne spp. | 8.3 | 1860 |
| ramin | Gonystylus bancanus | 5.8 | 1300 |
| redcedar, eastern | Juniperus virginiana | 4.0 | 900 |
| redcedar, southern | Juniperus silicicola | 2.7 | 610 |
| redcedar, western | Thuja plicata | 1.6 | 350 |
| redwood, old growth | Sequoia sempervirens | 2.1 | 480 |
| redwood, second growth | Sequoia sempervirens | 1.9 | 420 |
| robe | Tabebul spp., roble group | 4.3 | 960 |
| rosewood, Brazilian | Dalbergia nigra | 12.1 | 2720 |
| rosewood, Indian | Dalbergia latifolia | 14.1 | 3170 |
| sande | Brosimum spp., utile group | 4.0 | 900 |
| santa maria | Calophyllum brasiliense | 5.1 | 1150 |
| sapele | Entandrophragma cylindricum | 6.7 | 1510 |
| sassafras | Sassafras albidum | 2.8 | 630 |
| sepetir | Pseudosindora palustris | 6.3 | 1410 |
| serviceberry | Amelanchier spp. | 8.0 | 1800 |
| shorea | Shorea spp., baulau group | 7.9 | 1780 |
| (shorea) dark red meranti | Shorea spp., lauan-meranti group | 3.5 | 780 |
| (shorea) light red meranti | Shorea spp., lauan-meranti group | 2.0 | 460 |
| (shorea) white meranti | Shorea spp., lauan-meranti group | 5.1 (@15%) |
1140 |
| (shorea) yellow meranti | Shorea spp., lauan-meranti group | 3.4 | 770 |
| silverbell, Carolina | Halesia carolina | 2.6 | 590 |
| sourwood | Oxydendrum arboreum | 4.2 | 940 |
| Spanish-cedar | Cedrela spp. | 2.7 | 600 |
| spruce, black | Picea mariana | 2.3 | 520 |
| spruce, Engelmann | Picea engelmanni | 1.7 | 390 |
| spruce, red | Picea rubra | 2.2 | 490 |
| spruce, Sitka | Picea sitchensis | 2.3 | 510 |
| spruce, white | Picea glauca | 2.1 | 480 |
| sucupira | Bowdichia spp. | ||
| sucupira | Diplotropis purpurea | 9.5 | 2140 |
| sumac, staghorn | Rhus typhina | 3.0 | 680 |
| sweetgum | Liquidambar styraciflua | 3.8 | 850 |
| sycamore, american | Platanus occidentalis | 3.4 | 770 |
| tamarack | Larix laricina | 2.6 | 590 |
| tanoak | Lithocarpus densiflorus | ||
| teak | Tectona grandis | 4.4 | 1000 |
| tomillo | Cedrelinga catenformis | 870 (green) |
|
| tree-of-heaven | Ailanthus altissima | 7.7 | 1731 |
| tupelo, black | Nyssa sylvatica | 3.6 | 810 |
| tupelo. water | Nyssa aquatica | 3.9 | 880 |
| wallaba | Eperua spp. | 9.1 | 2040 |
| walnut, black | Juglans nigra | 4.5 | 1010 |
| white-cedar, northern | Thuja occidentalis | 1.4 | 320 |
| willow, black | Salix nigra | ||
| witch hazel | Hamamelis virginica | 6.8 | 1530 |
| yellow poplar | Liriodendron tulipifera | 2.4 | 540 |
| yew. Pacific | Taxus brevifolia | 7.1 | 1600 |
