This test measures the resistance of various types of wood to denting and wear and tear. It measures the force required to embed an 11.28 mm steel ball into wood to half the ball’s diameter, and it measures the indentation. The Janka hardness rating determines whether a species is suitable for use as flooring. While oak is very hard, and is the industry go-to for flooring, there are other species that are much harder.
| Wood Flooring Species | Hardness |
|---|---|
| Ipe / Brazilian Walnut / Lapacho | 3684 |
| Cumaru / Brazilian Teak | 3540 |
| Ebony | 3220 |
| Brazilian Redwood / Paraju | 3190 |
| Angelim Pedra | 3040 |
| Bloodwood | 2900 |
| Red Mahogany / Turpentine | 2697 |
| Spotted Gum | 2473 |
| Brazilian Cherry / Jatoba | 2350 |
| Mesquite | 2345 |
| Santos Mahogany / Bocote / Cabreuva | 2200 |
| Pradoo | 2170 |
| Brushbox | 2135 |
| Karri | 2030 |
| Sydney Blue Gum | 2023 |
| Bubinga | 1980 |
| Cameron | 1940 |
| Tallowwood | 1933 |
| Merbau | 1925 |
| Amendoim | 1912 |
| Jarrah | 1910 |
| Purpleheart | 1860 |
| Goncalo Alves / Tigerwood | 1850 |
| Hickory / Pecan / Satinwood | 1820 |
| Afzelia / Doussie | 1810 |
| Bangkirai | 1798 |
| Rosewood | 1780 |
| African Padauk | 1725 |
| Blackwood | 1720 |
| Merbau | 1712 |
| Kempas | 1710 | Locust | 1700 |
| Highland Beech | 1686 |
| Wenge / Red Pine | 1630 |
| Tualang | 1624 |
| Zebrawood | 1575 |
| True Pine / Timborana | 1570 |
| Peroba | 1557 |
| Kambala | 1540 |
| Sapele / Sapelli | 1510 |
| Curupixa | 1490 |
| Sweet Birch | 1470 |
| Hard Maple / Sugar Maple | 1450 |
| Coffee Bean | 1390 |
| Natural Bamboo (represents one species) | 1380 |
| Australian Cypress | 1375 |
| White Oak | 1360 |
| Tasmanian Oak | 1350 |
| Ribbon Gum | 1349 |
| Ash (White) | 1320 |
| American Beech | 1300 |
| Red Oak (Northern) | 1290 |
| Carribean Heart Pine | 1280 |
| Yellow Birch | 1260 |
| Movingui | 1230 |
| Carbonized Bamboo (represents one species) | 1180 |
| Cocobolo | 1136 |
| Brazilian Eucalyptus / Rose Gum | 1125 |
| Makore | 1100 |
| Boreal | 1023 |
| Black Walnut | 1010 |
| Teak | 1000 |
| Sakura | 995 |
| Black Cherry / Imbuia | 950 |
| Boire | 940 |
| Paper Birch | 910 |
| Cedar | 900 |
| Southern Yellow Pine (Longleaf) | 870 |
| Lacewood / Leopardwood | 840 |
| Parana | 780 |
| Sycamore | 770 |
| Shedua | 710 |
| Southern Yellow Pine (Loblolly and Shortleaf) | 690 |
| Douglas Fir | 660 |
| Larch | 590 |
| Chestnut | 540 |
| Hemlock | 500 |
| White Pine | 420 |
| Basswood | 410 |
| Eastern White Pine | 380 |