Is this a question you have already asked yourself? Would you be able to answer it without the help of the web and our very dear friend Google? Let's take a look at our expert advisors on the subject. They know a lot 🙂
So? How can we assess the hardness of a hardwood floor based on its species?
Although the question is very often asked when shopping for a new hardwood floor, its answer was, long ago, thought out and a method was even designed and named at the very beginning of the 20th century by its Austrian dendrologist, Gabriel Janka. Dendrology is the science of recognizing and classifying trees, generally the science of woody plants. " Dendron " means "tree" and " logos " means "speech, science".
HOW DOES THE JANKA METHOD OR SCALE WORK?
The Janka hardness test determines the resistance of wood to penetration. With a steel ball of approximately 11 mm, the wood is tested to measure its resistance. Only carried out on dried wood samples with moisture content up to 12%, we can obtain results in pounds-force (lbf), kilograms-force ( kg f ) or newtons (N).
Let's see visually what this all looks like.
LET’S CHOOSE SOME LOCAL ESSENCES AND MAKE SOME COMPARISONS.
Hickory or hickory
On the Janka scale, this wood has a hardness of 1820 lbf. It is a genus of trees that includes about twenty species, a dozen of which are native to North America.
Hickory flooring comes in a variety of looks, which can include light-colored woods mixed with dark brown or light to dark brown tones and dark black stains. It is a bit more difficult to install due to the density of the wood and it is susceptible to moisture. However, its durability is there.
Interesting fact: Hickory is often used for making percussion sticks or tool handles, due to its shock resistance and light weight.
Maple
The maple we are studying is more specifically the sugar maple or hard maple. Our beloved North American tree species that can live up to 250 years and give us a sweet treat in the spring.
On the Janka scale, maple reaches 1450 lbf of strength. Hardwood harvested from the outer wood of the trunk, or sapwood, is typically a light creamy white color, while hardwood harvested from the center of the tree, or heartwood, is a deeper shade of brown with a slight reddish tint.
Interesting fact: Maple has a rapid growth of almost 10 meters in 20 years, depending on its region of origin. It will be multiplied by seedlings, in a rich, deep and fresh soil and, up to an altitude of 1000 meters.
The white oak
White oak floors have a hardness that has been measured at 1360 lbf of resistance. Unlike maple, white oak can live up to 500 years. This species of trees is self-pollinating and can take up to 25 years to produce fruit.
In flooring, white oak offers, despite its name, a darker natural color palette than maple or red oak while offering gray-brown nuances and character.
White ash
A wood with a hardness of 1320 lbf of resistance according to Janka. Unfortunately threatened by the emerald ash borer, this species may become rare over time and less used for floor coverings.
White ash flooring has a pronounced grain pattern similar to oak, which can be an advantage for high traffic areas where imperfections may be less visible.
For other uses, such as making cheese bows or rings, this "nervous" wood is prized for its flexibility.
The red oak
When we think of hardwood flooring, many often refer to red oak. With over 1290 lbs of strength, this species has a uniform and tight wood grain.
Its colors vary depending on where the material is taken from. The wood will be reddish brown if it comes from the heartwood and it will vary from white to pale brown if it comes from the sapwood, the part of the tree between the bark and the heart of the trunk.
The cherry tree
This wood is rated at 1260 lbf strength on the Janka scale. It grows very fast and can be quite nervous. It is found in light pinkish brown to yellowish color. Its wood grain is straight and firm.
Cherry flooring is prized for its beauty and workability. It can also be appreciated for its rapid growth which helps the environment where reforestation is needed.
American walnut
The American walnut is a large tree native to North America. On the Janka scale, its strength is 1010 lbf, which makes it softer than its counterparts. Its bark is very dark in color, which earned it the name "black walnut".
A walnut floor has the advantages of rich chocolate tones and uniform grain patterns. The color palette ranges from light pale brown to dark mocha with auburn undertones.
Interesting fact: The walnut tree is exploited for its wood quality but also to extract the oil from its fruits, whose shells can be crushed to be used in the manufacture of sandpaper.
Now is the time to find out if the information provided has been useful to you when it comes to choosing the wood that will suit you best. From hickory to American walnut, resistance makes the difference. It is certain that before making the right decision, you must be able to visualize the product in your environment and also evaluate all the other elements to consider in choosing a hardwood floor.
