Understanding the Janka Hardness Scale for Hardwood Floor Purchases
Understanding the Janka Hardness Scale for Hardwood Floor Purchases
.png)
If you are looking to replace the hardwood floors in your home, then you probably have many questions about which species of hardwood is best for you. It can be difficult to sift through the hundreds of species and varieties of hardwood flooring to find an option that not only suits your lifestyle but that fits your style too.
The best choice of hardwood floors comes down to wood hardness, wood density, and wood durability. For homes with more intensive lifestyles, harder wood is the best option. For homes with a more leisurely lifestyle, softer hardwood floors will satisfy their needs.
Wood Hardness is determined by something called the Janka Hardness Scale. The Janka Scale gives each species and variety of wood a numerical rating (called a Janka rating), based on Janka Testing, a test that determines a piece of wood's resistance to a steel ball under pressure.
Learn more about the Janka Hardness Scale here!
This post will go over how to use the Janka Hardness Scale and wood suggestions based on your lifestyle so you can determine what flooring is best for your home.
.jpg)
Wood Hardness and Your Lifestyle
Wood products have exquisite natural beauty and unique effects that tell complex stories over hundreds of years. Understanding the level of durability and differences between wood species will help you when selecting wood for your flooring.
Your family’s lifestyle is a key factor when it comes to deciding which floor has the proper wood hardness and wood durability for you.
Consider these key questions laid out by our team of hardwood flooring experts.
- Do you have pets that love to run about the house and scratch the floors? How large or small are your pets?
- Do you have an active home full of young kids or teenagers?
- How often do you entertain?
Answering these questions to get a better understanding of your lifestyle and home needs can help you determine which hardwood floor is right for you, based on the Janka Hardness Scale. If you find that you have a more hectic lifestyle (pets, a busy home, frequent guests), you will likely need a harder wood with higher density. Or, if you spend most of your nights at home watching TV and have no furry friends to romp around your living space, then a softer wood with lower wood density may be more appropriate.
The Janka Wood Hardness Scale was developed to measure the force necessary to embed an 11.28mm (.444 in.) steel ball to have its diameter in wood. Using the Janka Wood Hardness Scale can help you determine which species are most suitable for your hardwood floors.
Here are a few examples of some choices you might make.
- Maple - If you're someone that has no children, no pets, doesn't entertain a lot, and enjoys a clean look of hardwood, Maple would be a beautiful choice for your home. Because it is a softer wood, there is little character but a very simple, yet elegant appeal.
- Hickory - Perhaps your family has 3 children ranging in ages from 2 to 7, beginning to play sports, and love to play with the family German Shepherd. Hickory, being a high-density, harder wood, has loads of characteristics to hide scratches from children, pets, and heavy furniture.
What is the difference between white oak and red oak? Learn more here!
The following image is only a partial list containing some of the most popular hardwood species; however, there are so many varieties to choose from. Use this as a tool to help identify the appropriate choice for you as you begin your journey for new flooring in your home.
Choose Your Next Hardwood Floor with the Experts at A Step Above Flooring
Your lifestyle determines your hardwood flooring needs. Wood that is too soft will scratch and wear from a hectic lifestyle, so it is important to find wood hard enough for your needs.
Wood hardness, wood density, and wood durability are all important factors determined by a wood type’s Janka rating.
If you are having trouble identifying which species or variety of hardwood is best for your home and your needs, then the experts at A Step Above Flooring are here for you!
Reach out to the flooring pros at A Step Above Flooring here!
Happy with the difference A Step Above Flooring has made in your home? Leave us a quick review on Google here!
Don’t miss out on the best! Follow A Step Above Flooring on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Pinterest for more fabulous and free flooring tips!