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  We
invite you to use the charts below as a reference.
For further information on a specific wood species,
please feel free to review our Hardwood
Dictionary page. And as always, we encourage you
to contact us with any
questions concerning a particular species of wood
you are considering for a specific application.
Relative Hardness of Selected
Wood Flooring Species
(Ranked
by Janka hardness rating)
The Janka (or side) hardness test measures the force
required to embed a .444-inch steel ball to half its
diameter in wood. It is one of the best measures
of the ability of a wood species to withstand denting
and wear. By the same token, it is also a good indicator
of how hard or easy a species is to saw or nail. Northern
red oak, for example, has a Janka hardness rating
of 1290. Brazilian cherry, with a rating of 2350,
is nearly twice as hard.
Source:
Hardness ratings for most species taken from Wood
Handbook: Wood as an Engineering Material (Agriculture
Handbook 72, Forest Products Laboratory, Forest Service,
U.S. Department of Agriculture; revised 1987), except
for Australian cypress, wenge, African padauk, merbau
and Santos mahogany, which were provided by International
Hardwood Flooring; heart pine by Mountain Lumber,
and mesquite by Mesquite Products of Texas.
Douglas
fir rating is an average of ratings for Coast, Interior
West and Interior North species.
Relative Stability of Selected Wood Flooring Species
(Ranked by dimensional change coefficient)
 This
chart is best used for comparison. The dimensional
change coefficient can be used to calculate expected
shrinkage or swelling. In actual practice, however,
change would be diminished in a complete floor, as
the boards' proximity to each other tends to restrain
movement.
*Although
some tropical woods such as Australian cypress, Brazilian
cherry, merbau and wenge appear in this chart or have
excellent moisture stability compared to domestic
oak, actual installations of many of these woods have
demonstrated significant movement in use. To avoid
problems later, extra care should be taken to inform
potential users of these tendencies prior to purchase.
Source:
Stability ratings taken from Wood Handbook: Wood as
an Engineering Material (Agriculture Handbook 72,
Forest Products Laboratory, Forest Service, US Department
of Agriculture; revised 1987)
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