Janka Hardness Database

Janka hardness ratings (lbf and newtons) for 60 timber species. The Janka test measures the force needed to embed a steel ball halfway into the wood — the industry standard for comparing wear resistance and denting.

Last updated: 17 July 2026Reviewed by: Vriksai editorial team — timber trade professionalsEditorial policy

Revision history

17 July 2026 — Site-wide audit — all tabulated values re-checked against listed sources

60Species ranked

1,343Avg Janka (lbf)

4,390Hardest (Lignum Vitae)

300Softest (Paulownia)

Janka hardness predicts how well a floor, worktop, or stair tread resists dents and wear. A higher number means a harder surface. Most residential flooring sits between 1,000 and 2,000 lbf; species above 2,500 lbf are very hard and can be tougher to machine and nail. Hardness correlates with density but is not identical — grain and structure matter too.

60 species

Species ↕	Janka (lbf) ↕	Janka (N) ↕	Class ↕	Specific Gravity ↕
Lignum VitaeGuaiacum officinale	4390	19,528	Very Hard	1.05
Ipe LapachoHandroanthus serratifolius	3680	16,369	Very Hard	0.92
African BlackwoodDalbergia melanoxylon	3670	16,325	Very Hard	0.98
CumaruDipteryx odorata	3540	15,747	Very Hard	0.87
MassarandubaManilkara bidentata	3190	14,190	Very Hard	0.85
Spotted GumCorymbia citriodora	2473	11,000	Hard	0.85
Indian RosewoodDalbergia latifolia	2440	10,854	Hard	0.75
EbonyDiospyros ebenum	2430	10,809	Hard	0.90
JarrahEucalyptus marginata	1910	8,496	Hard	0.82
BangkiraiShorea laevis	1798	7,998	Hard	0.85
MerbauIntsia bijuga	1712	7,615	Hard	0.74
BalauShorea spp.	1700	7,562	Hard	0.78
Shisham SissooDalbergia sissoo	1660	7,384	Hard	0.75
GarapaApuleia leiocarpa	1650	7,340	Hard	0.72
WengeMillettia laurentii	1630	7,251	Hard	0.80
SapeleEntandrophragma cylindricum	1510	6,717	Hard	0.62
NeemAzadirachta indica	1460	6,494	Medium	0.68
Hard MapleAcer saccharum	1450	6,450	Medium	0.63
European BeechFagus sylvatica	1450	6,450	Medium	0.68
Bamboo Structural EngineeredBambusa / Dendrocalamus spp.	1380	6,139	Medium	0.60
ThermoWood Pine Thermo-DPinus sylvestris	540	2,402	Soft	0.48
SalShorea robusta	1340	5,961	Medium	0.74
ThermoWood Ash Thermo-DFraxinus excelsior	1320	5,872	Medium	0.66
White AshFraxinus americana	1320	5,872	Medium	0.60
KeruingDipterocarpus spp.	1270	5,649	Medium	0.69
Yellow BirchBetula alleghaniensis	1260	5,605	Medium	0.62
IrokoMilicia excelsa	1260	5,605	Medium	0.55
ThermoWood Spruce Thermo-DPicea abies	380	1,690	Soft	0.45
ThermoWood Birch Thermo-DBetula pubescens	1210	5,382	Medium	0.62
Silver BirchBetula pendula	1210	5,382	Medium	0.61
Thermally Modified OakQuercus robur	1120	4,982	Medium	0.68
European OakQuercus robur	1120	4,982	Medium	0.67
Thermally Modified LarchLarix decidua	530	2,358	Soft	0.55
Thermally Modified Siberian LarchLarix sibirica	1100	4,893	Medium	0.59
TeakTectona grandis	1070	4,760	Medium	0.55
Mango WoodMangifera indica	1070	4,760	Medium	0.51
Burma Teak Premium GradeTectona grandis	1070	4,760	Medium	0.66
African MahoganyKhaya ivorensis	1070	4,760	Medium	0.52
Black WalnutJuglans nigra	1010	4,493	Medium	0.55
Hinoki CypressChamaecyparis obtusa	1010	4,493	Medium	0.42
Rubber WoodHevea brasiliensis	960	4,270	Medium	0.55
American CherryPrunus serotina	950	4,226	Medium	0.50
Southern Yellow PinePinus spp. (P. palustris, P. taeda)	870	3,870	Soft	0.51
Meranti Red LauanShorea spp.	800	3,559	Soft	0.52
ThermoWood Radiata Pine Thermo-DPinus radiata	710	3,158	Soft	0.50
Accoya Acetylated Radiata PinePinus radiata	710	3,158	Soft	0.51
Sweet ChestnutCastanea sativa	680	3,025	Soft	0.56
Douglas FirPseudotsuga menziesii	620	2,758	Soft	0.48
Deodar CedarCedrus deodara	580	2,580	Soft	0.48
Sugi Japanese CedarCryptomeria japonica	580	2,580	Soft	0.38
Western HemlockTsuga heterophylla	540	2,402	Soft	0.45
Scots PinePinus sylvestris	540	2,402	Soft	0.49
European LarchLarix decidua	530	2,358	Soft	0.55
Spruce-Pine-Fir SPFPicea / Pinus / Abies spp.	510	2,269	Soft	0.42
Hem-FirTsuga / Abies spp.	500	2,224	Soft	0.45
Kail Blue PinePinus wallichiana	460	2,046	Soft	0.45
Norway SprucePicea abies	380	1,690	Soft	0.43
Thermally Modified Western Red CedarThuja plicata	350	1,557	Soft	0.38
Western Red CedarThuja plicata	350	1,557	Soft	0.32
PaulowniaPaulownia tomentosa	300	1,334	Soft	0.28

Reading the scale: Soft (<900 lbf) dents easily — pine, cedar, spruce. Medium (900–1500) suits most furniture and flooring — oak, teak, walnut. Hard (1500–2500) resists heavy wear — hard maple, hickory. Very hard (>2500) is extremely durable but demanding to work — ipe, balau, ironwoods.

Sources

The Wood Database — Janka test data — www.wood-database.com
USDA FPL Wood Handbook GTR-190, Ch. 5 — www.fpl.fs.usda.gov/documnts/fplgtr/fplgtr190

Common questions

What is the Janka hardness test?

It measures how hard you have to push a small steel ball halfway into the wood. The bigger the number, the harder the wood. It is the standard way to compare how well floors and worktops resist dents.

What Janka number is good for flooring?

For a busy home, anything above roughly 1,000 lbf handles daily life well. Oak sits around 1,300. Softer woods like pine will dent faster but are still fine for bedrooms and low-traffic rooms.

Does harder wood mean it lasts longer outdoors?

No. Hardness and rot resistance are different things. Some very hard woods rot quickly outside, and some softer woods like teak last for decades. Check the durability page for outdoor use.

Where do these Janka numbers come from?

From published test data — mainly The Wood Database and the USDA Wood Handbook. We do not guess or average numbers from forums.

Janka Hardness Database

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Sources

Common questions