Janka hardness chart: popular wood species
All 56 woods ↓Quick answer: red oak is 1,290 lbf, white oak 1,360 lbf, hard maple 1,450 lbf, and shagbark hickory 1,880 lbf at 12% moisture. A higher Janka number means greater wood indentation resistance, not guaranteed scratch-proof flooring. Why figures vary.
Common wood hardness values at 12% moisture content (USDA side hardness). Read from softer to harder; see the full 56-species sortable table below.
| Wood species | Janka hardness (lbf) |
|---|---|
| Pine, eastern white | 380 |
| Walnut, black | 1,010 |
| Oak, northern red | 1,290 |
| Oak, white | 1,360 |
| Maple, sugar (hard maple) | 1,450 |
| Hickory, shagbark | 1,880 |
| Courbaril / jatoba | 2,350 |
| Ipe | 3,680 |
Bars use 4,500 lbf (the highest value in this reference chart) as 100%. Imported woods are literature-based values; compare them with that limitation in mind. Janka measures indentation of the wood, not coating scratch resistance.
Example: white oak at 1,360 lbf and northern red oak at 1,290 lbf differ by 70 lbf. Relative to red oak, that is about 5.4% more indentation force. The full species chart above and below remains readable without JavaScript; interactive comparisons and sorting require JavaScript.
Compare two woods instantly
Choose a comparison below or pick any two species. Change moisture and units to see the difference; the bars show indentation force, not floor life.
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Full Janka hardness chart: 56 woods ranked from hardest to softest
All listed dry ratings below are reported or normalized to 12% moisture content. Domestic woods come from USDA Table 5–3b; imported woods come from Table 5–5b’s compiled world literature and are labelled separately. These are reference comparisons, not one uniform test population. Sort a hardness column to rank the values or filter to one reference group.
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| Lignumvitae | 4,500 | 20,020 | Not reported | Hardwood | Imported · USDA 5–5bGuaiacum spp. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ipe | 3,680 | 16,370 | 3,060 | Hardwood | Imported · USDA 5–5bTabebuia spp., lapacho group |
| Bulletwood | 3,190 | 14,190 | 2,230 | Hardwood | Imported · USDA 5–5bManilkara bidentata |
| Rosewood, Indian | 3,170 | 14,100 | 1,560 | Hardwood | Imported · USDA 5–5bDalbergia latifolia |
| Rosewood, Brazilian | 2,720 | 12,100 | 2,440 | Hardwood | Imported · USDA 5–5bDalbergia nigra |
| Bubinga | 2,690 | 11,970 | Not reported | Hardwood | Imported · USDA 5–5bGuibourtia spp. |
| Courbaril / jatoba | 2,350 | 10,450 | 1,970 | Hardwood | Imported · USDA 5–5bHymenaea courbaril |
| Goncalo alves | 2,160 | 9,610 | 1,910 | Hardwood | Imported · USDA 5–5bAstronium graveolens |
| Hickory, pignut | 2,140 | 9,520 | 1,520 | Hardwood | Domestic · USDA 5–3b |
| Karri | 2,040 | 9,070 | 1,360 | Hardwood | Imported · USDA 5–5bEucalyptus diversicolor |
| Hickory, mockernut | 1,970 | 8,760 | 1,440 | Hardwood | Domestic · USDA 5–3b |
| Jarrah | 1,910 | 8,500 | 1,290 | Hardwood | Imported · USDA 5–5bEucalyptus marginata |
| Hickory, shagbark | 1,880 | 8,360 | 1,460 | Hardwood | Domestic · USDA 5–3b |
| Purpleheart | 1,860 | 8,270 | 1,810 | Hardwood | Imported · USDA 5–5bPeltogyne spp. |
| Pecan | 1,820 | 8,100 | 1,310 | Hardwood | Domestic · USDA 5–3b |
| Hickory, shellbark | 1,810 | 8,050 | 1,670 | Hardwood | Domestic · USDA 5–3b |
| Kempas | 1,710 | 7,610 | 1,480 | Hardwood | Imported · USDA 5–5bKoompassia malaccensis |
| Locust, black | 1,700 | 7,560 | 1,570 | Hardwood | Domestic · USDA 5–3b |
| Oak, swamp white | 1,620 | 7,210 | 1,160 | Hardwood | Domestic · USDA 5–3b |
| Honeylocust | 1,580 | 7,030 | 1,390 | Hardwood | Domestic · USDA 5–3b |
| Afrormosia | 1,560 | 6,940 | 1,600 | Hardwood | Imported · USDA 5–5bPericopsis elata |
| Sapele | 1,510 | 6,720 | 1,020 | Hardwood | Imported · USDA 5–5bEntandrophragma cylindricum |
| Birch, sweet | 1,470 | 6,540 | 970 | Hardwood | Domestic · USDA 5–3b |
| Maple, sugar (hard maple) | 1,450 | 6,450 | 970 | Hardwood | Domestic · USDA 5–3b |
| Oak, bur | 1,370 | 6,090 | 1,110 | Hardwood | Domestic · USDA 5–3b |
| Oak, white | 1,360 | 6,050 | 1,060 | Hardwood | Domestic · USDA 5–3b |
| Ash, white | 1,320 | 5,870 | 960 | Hardwood | Domestic · USDA 5–3b |
| Beech, American | 1,300 | 5,780 | 850 | Hardwood | Domestic · USDA 5–3b |
| Oak, northern red | 1,290 | 5,740 | 1,000 | Hardwood | Domestic · USDA 5–3b |
| Birch, yellow | 1,260 | 5,600 | 780 | Hardwood | Domestic · USDA 5–3b |
| Iroko | 1,260 | 5,600 | 1,080 | Hardwood | Imported · USDA 5–5bChlorophora spp. |
| Maple, black | 1,180 | 5,250 | 840 | Hardwood | Domestic · USDA 5–3b |
| Walnut, black | 1,010 | 4,490 | 900 | Hardwood | Domestic · USDA 5–3b |
| Teak | 1,000 | 4,450 | 930 | Hardwood | Imported · USDA 5–5bTectona grandis |
| Cherry, black | 950 | 4,230 | 660 | Hardwood | Domestic · USDA 5–3b |
| Maple, red | 950 | 4,230 | 700 | Hardwood | Domestic · USDA 5–3b |
| Birch, paper | 910 | 4,050 | 560 | Hardwood | Domestic · USDA 5–3b |
| Pine, longleaf | 870 | 3,870 | 590 | Softwood | Domestic · USDA 5–3b |
| Maple, bigleaf | 850 | 3,780 | 620 | Hardwood | Domestic · USDA 5–3b |
| Sweetgum | 850 | 3,780 | 600 | Hardwood | Domestic · USDA 5–3b |
| Larch, western | 830 | 3,690 | 510 | Softwood | Domestic · USDA 5–3b |
| Mahogany, African | 830 | 3,690 | 640 | Hardwood | Imported · USDA 5–5bKhaya spp. |
| Mahogany, true | 800 | 3,560 | 740 | Hardwood | Imported · USDA 5–5bSwietenia macrophylla |
| Sycamore, American | 770 | 3,430 | 610 | Hardwood | Domestic · USDA 5–3b |
| Douglas-fir, coast | 710 | 3,160 | 500 | Softwood | Domestic · USDA 5–3b |
| Maple, silver | 700 | 3,110 | 590 | Hardwood | Domestic · USDA 5–3b |
| Alder, red | 590 | 2,620 | 440 | Hardwood | Domestic · USDA 5–3b |
| Hemlock, western | 540 | 2,400 | 410 | Softwood | Domestic · USDA 5–3b |
| Yellow-poplar (tulipwood) | 540 | 2,400 | 440 | Hardwood | Domestic · USDA 5–3b |
| Spruce, Sitka | 510 | 2,270 | 350 | Softwood | Domestic · USDA 5–3b |
| Butternut | 490 | 2,180 | 390 | Hardwood | Domestic · USDA 5–3b |
| Pine, ponderosa | 460 | 2,050 | 320 | Softwood | Domestic · USDA 5–3b |
| Basswood, American | 410 | 1,820 | 250 | Hardwood | Domestic · USDA 5–3b |
| Pine, eastern white | 380 | 1,690 | 290 | Softwood | Domestic · USDA 5–3b |
| Aspen, quaking | 350 | 1,560 | 300 | Hardwood | Domestic · USDA 5–3b |
| Cedar, western red | 350 | 1,560 | 260 | Softwood | Domestic · USDA 5–3b |
Source: USDA Wood Handbook (2021), Chapter 5: Table 5–3b, pp. 5–9 to 5–13; Table 5–5b, pp. 5–22 to 5–25. Imported values are compiled from world literature, sometimes adjusted to 12% moisture; USDA cautions that they may not represent species averages. Entries reported at 15% moisture are excluded here. “Not reported” remains missing, never zero. Newton values are calculated from lbf using 1 lbf = 4.448221615 N and rounded to 10 N. Hardwood/softwood is botanical classification.
Janka Hardness Chart — all 56 reference rows. Read the stated conditions and sources.
What a Janka hardness value actually measures
The modified Janka test records the force needed to embed a steel ball, 11.28 mm (0.444 in.) in diameter, to half its diameter. This page uses side-hardness results: loading into the side of a clear wood specimen across the grain. End-grain measurements are a different comparison and should not be silently mixed into the chart. USDA’s Chapter 5 describes the method and separates hardness from other strength properties.
The unit is force. A result of 1,360 lbf is not a pressure of 1,360 psi, and it is not a recommended furniture load. The ball geometry, test setup, wood condition and orientation belong to the result. ASTM D143 covers controlled tests on small clear timber specimens; its scope explains why specimen size, moisture, temperature and loading rate matter to comparable testing.
White oak vs red oak vs maple vs hickory
Using the same 12%-moisture dataset makes common comparisons clearer. White oak is about 5.4% above northern red oak in indentation force. Sugar maple is about 12.4% above northern red oak. Shagbark hickory is about 45.7% above northern red oak. Those percentages describe the Janka results; they are not percentages of extra floor life.
Species names matter as much as the number. “Maple” can refer to sugar maple at 1,450 lbf, red maple at 950 lbf, or silver maple at 700 lbf in the USDA table. “Hickory” can cover several species: this chart keeps shagbark, shellbark, mockernut and pignut separate, and lists pecan independently. A single trade-group figure can hide that spread.
For a purchase, ask for the exact species or species group and the actual product documentation. A material label such as “hardwood” is botanical shorthand, not a promise that its Janka value exceeds every softwood. Yellow-poplar is a hardwood at 540 lbf here; longleaf pine is a softwood at 870 lbf. All numbers in this comparison come from Table 5–3b.
Choosing flooring: use hardness as one input
Higher indentation hardness can help narrow the choice when denting from concentrated loads is a concern. It does not directly measure scratches in the coating, abrasion from grit, moisture movement, finish adhesion, or whether a thin wear layer can later be refinished. Ask about the complete floor construction and finish as well as the species.
The National Wood Flooring Association’s homeowner handbook treats species, finish, solid versus engineered construction and maintenance as separate decisions. It also explains that many visible scratches occur in the finish. Furniture pads, removing tracked-in grit and appropriate cleaning can matter even on a very hard species.
For a busy room, compare actual finished samples and product-specific care instructions. A low-gloss or textured surface may show marks differently from a smooth, high-gloss surface even when both use the same wood. Choose the visual and maintenance tradeoffs deliberately; there is no universal Janka pass/fail threshold for a home with children or pets.
Why published Janka numbers sometimes disagree
Wood is a variable natural material. A species value represents a test population, not every board. The USDA tables distinguish green specimens from specimens at 12% moisture content, and the change can be large: northern red oak is 1,000 lbf green versus 1,290 lbf at 12% moisture in this dataset. Comparing one dry result with another green result would distort the ranking.
Other reasons for a different published figure include a different species hidden behind a trade name, a different sampling population, side versus end hardness, rounding, or a manufactured product rather than clear solid wood. Bamboo and densified products especially need the tested product specification; a generic raw-species figure does not define every finished product.
This page uses one handbook and a consistent 12% moisture basis for dry comparisons, while distinguishing its domestic test table from its imported-literature table. The latter combines studies and does not necessarily describe average species characteristics. It does not average conflicting sources together or treat small numerical differences as guarantees. The Wood Handbook’s introduction to mechanical properties discusses natural variability and the limitations of test averages.
Worked example: convert and compare a white-oak rating
To convert the table’s 1,360 lbf white-oak value to newtons, multiply by 4.448221615: 1,360 × 4.448221615 = 6,049.6 N. Rounded to the nearest 10 N, the chart shows 6,050 N. It is the same force expressed in another unit.
To compare white oak with northern red oak, use the comparison species as the denominator: (1,360 − 1,290) ÷ 1,290 × 100 = 5.43%. Reversing the comparison gives a different percentage because the denominator changes. The tool above performs that calculation for either moisture condition and keeps its bars proportional to the force.
A practical conclusion is that the two species are fairly close on this particular measure. It would be unjustified to claim that white oak is 5.43% more scratch-proof or will last 5.43% longer. Those outcomes involve the finish, exposure and entire floor assembly.
Imported species, trade names and manufactured flooring
The chart includes 38 domestic entries and 18 imported woods. The imported values use USDA Table 5–5b, which gathers published studies rather than reporting one Forest Products Laboratory test program. Its notes warn that sampling can be limited and some values were adjusted to 12% moisture. That distinction appears in the chart and the comparison result.
Common searches now have explicit entries: ipe 3,680 lbf, courbaril/jatoba 2,350 lbf, sapele 1,510 lbf and teak (Tectona grandis) 1,000 lbf in this source. A retail chart may report different values; retain the source, species and conditions instead of combining the numbers into a false average. The USDA GRIN taxonomy entry identifies jatoba as a common name.
Other commonly searched flooring woods, such as acacia, cumaru, and many bamboo products, are intentionally not given unsupported numbers here when the specified USDA rows do not provide a comparable 12%-moisture test entry. Manufactured bamboo, densified wood and engineered flooring need product-specific test results. A species rating does not reveal an engineered floor’s wear-layer thickness, core behavior or refinishing allowance. The NWFA homeowner handbook explains these flooring-selection considerations.
Janka hardness is also not a beam-sizing value. Bending, shear, deflection, bearing, grading and connections require separate structural checks.
Janka Hardness Chart FAQs
What is a good Janka rating for hardwood flooring?
There is no single universal minimum that guarantees a good floor. Northern red oak at 1,290 lbf is a useful reference in this dataset, but suitable choices also depend on finish, construction, care and the amount of visible wear you accept.
Is white oak harder than red oak?
In USDA’s 12%-moisture table, white oak is 1,360 lbf and northern red oak is 1,290 lbf. White oak requires about 5.4% more indentation force. Different red-oak or white-oak group species can have other values.
Is maple harder than oak?
Sugar maple, often called hard maple, is 1,450 lbf here, above white oak at 1,360 and northern red oak at 1,290. Other maples differ: red maple is 950 lbf and silver maple 700 lbf. Compare named species, not just “maple.”
Does a high Janka rating prevent scratches from pets?
No. Janka tests indentation of wood. Claws and tracked-in grit can scratch the finish even when the underlying wood is hard. Finish selection, debris removal, furniture protection and pet-nail care remain relevant.
Are Janka values pounds or psi?
They are normally reported in pounds-force (lbf) or newtons (N), not pounds per square inch. The force is applied through a defined steel ball. Convert lbf to N by multiplying by about 4.44822.
Why is hickory sometimes listed as 1,820 and sometimes 1,880?
Trade charts can group hickory and pecan together. The USDA dataset here lists pecan at 1,820 lbf and shagbark hickory at 1,880 lbf, with other true hickory species having different values. Species identification resolves much of the apparent conflict.
Can this chart compare engineered wood or bamboo products?
Use the product manufacturer’s tested value and test conditions. A wood species rating alone does not describe an engineered floor’s wear layer, core, finish, or refinishing allowance. Manufactured bamboo and densified products can vary substantially by process.
What is the hardest wood in this Janka chart?
Lignumvitae (Guaiacum spp.) has the highest listed dry value here, 4,500 lbf at 12% moisture in USDA’s imported-literature table. That makes it the highest entry in this selected chart, not a verified world record or the best flooring choice.
Why does this chart show teak at 1,000 lbf?
That is the 12%-moisture value for Tectona grandis in USDA Table 5–5b. Other charts can report other studies, trade names or product data. Use a documented source and botanical identity rather than treating every published “teak” number as the same test result.
Is 1,000, 1,500 or 2,000 Janka good for a floor?
Those numbers describe relative indentation force, not a grading pass or fail. For reference, northern red oak is 1,290 lbf and sugar maple is 1,450 lbf in this USDA dataset. A 2,000-lbf wood needs greater force to form the standard indentation than red oak, but finish performance, stability, product construction and maintenance still determine suitability.
What is the softest wood in this chart?
At 12% moisture, western red cedar and quaking aspen both show 350 lbf in this selected 56-wood chart. That is a statement about these included entries, not the softest woods worldwide.
Why do some ipe or jatoba charts give different numbers?
Source populations, specimen moisture, botanical identification, and whether the figure represents solid wood, an imported-literature observation, or a finished product differ. This page retains USDA Table 5–5b figures of 3,680 lbf for ipe (lapacho group) and 2,350 lbf for courbaril/jatoba rather than silently mixing retail values from other testing sources.
Sources and Data Basis
Reference basis reviewed October 25, 2026. Follow the scope and conditions given with each table and lookup result.
- USDA Forest Products Laboratory — Wood Handbook, Chapter 5 (2021)Tables 5–3b and 5–5b: 38 domestic and 18 imported entries, side hardness at 12% moisture; imported compiled-literature and missing-data limitations retained.
- ASTM International — D143-25Official scope of controlled tests on small clear timber specimens; not a claim that every historical USDA result used this edition.
- National Wood Flooring Association — Homeowner’s HandbookFlooring selection, finish and maintenance context; additional imported trade names are kept separate from the USDA dataset.
- USDA Agricultural Research Service — Hymenaea courbaril taxonomyCourbaril / jatoba common names and botanical identity.