Janka Hardness Rating Scale for Hardwood Floors
The Janka Hardness Scale determines the hardness of a particular type of wood over another. 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.
Where The Wood Hardness Scale Comes fromThe scale was developed as a means for displaying the results of the Janka hardness test. The test uses a 2″ x 2″ x 6″ piece of wood and a 0.444″ s...Janka Scale Test VariablesWhen the Janka test is conducted on a specimen of wood, the results may vary slightly, depending on the grain of wood used for the test. For exampl...What The Wood Hardness Scale Looks LikeThe Janka Hardness Scale starts at zero, with this option being the softest wood choice, making it easy to dent and scratch. Though no wood on the...How to State The Janka RatingThis is where the Janka rating starts to get confusing for most. Stating the rating is done differently depending on the country. For instance, in...What Is A "Good" Janka Rating?When choosing flooring for a home, having an idea of the Janka scale rating will provide buyers with an indication of how strong the floor is and h...What Is A "Bad" Janka Hardness Rating?Balsa wood, a wood commonly used in crafts, ranks at 100 on the scale, making it the softest wood on many scales. While this type of wood would not...A Closer Look at Engineered HardwoodWhere do engineered hardwoods stand on the Janka Hardness scale? They don't, really. Why? Since these hardwoods are made with a layer of softer woo...What Does All of This Mean?Choose a hardwood floor based on its look and price before anything else. The bottom line is that no matter what, wood will need to be taken care o...GET PRICE >>