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Which hardwood flooring is the most durable?

Wednesday, November 24, 2021 8:07 AM
Hardwood Flooring

When you come into our hardwood flooring company, you'll see hundreds of species, but not all hardwood has the same levels of hardness, so it's only natural for you to ask about durability. In addition, every type of solid hardwood flooring, whether oak, hickory, or Brazilian cherry, has varying degrees of strength, so it's not so much a black and white question but, rather, one of many gray areas.

The Janka Scale hardness scale

Every hardwood is rated for measuring a wood’s resistance to wear and sensibility by the Janka Scale of Hardness. As the numbers go up, so does the durability of the wood flooring. A good number is 1,000 or 1200 and up.

For example, white oak has a rating of 1360, while red oak measures at 1290, a respectable number for sure. Hickory, however, has a Janka rating of 1820, which is 41% higher than red oak! All exotics are hard; Brazilian cherry, for example, has a Janka rating of 2390, and many go even higher.

It also depends on the species subcategory. For example, there are many versions of pine; some have ratings below 690 while other pines have Janka ratings of 1570, 1280, and 1630.

Here's how Janka works: They measure how much force it takes to insert a steel ball into the wood. The higher the number, the more durable the wood floor because more energy is required to do the job. For example, some species need 1400 pounds to embed the ball, while others might only require 700 pounds.

Other criteria for choosing a hardwood

Other factors, such as color, construction, stain, finish, grain pattern, and even plank width, are factors deciding on the best hardwood for you.

At Clayton Floor Center, we believe that establishing--and maintaining-- relationships with our customers is the hallmark of our motto about “Experiencing the Difference.” We want to make the flooring process stress-free for you and provide free hardwood flooring estimates, quality products, and certified expert installation services. We look forward to seeing you in our showroom in Clayton, NC, especially if you live or work in the area of Garner, Fuquay-Varina, Smithfield, and Raleigh.