The Janka Scale was developed to determine the hardness and toughness of different wood types against each other. It was named after an Austrian wood researcher, Gabriel Janka, who invented this scale in 1906. American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) later standardized this tool in 1927.
Indeed, the harder the wood is, the more durable investment it would be for homeowners. The scale rating ranges between 0 and 5,000, with the highest value indicating the strongest and the most scratch-resistant wood type. The unit for measuring Janka rating varies among countries. For instance, it’s pounds-force in the USA, kilograms-force in Sweden, and Newtons in Australia.
In this blog, we’ll take a close look at different types of Janka-rated tough hardwood floors.
The Specialty of Oak Wood Floors
Oakwood flooring is one of the most popular hardwood flooring choices, but can you guess where it ranks on the Janka scale? It has two types, with white oak flooring having a rating of 1360, while red oak flooring has a rating of 1260. Many other hardwood types rate higher than oak wood floors. Then what could be the reason behind its popularity?
Due to the abundance of oakwood, the mass production of hardwood floors is easy and affordable for homeowners. This doesn’t mean oak wood floors aren’t hard; they are, after all, a good choice among homeowners for floors. But if we strictly stick to Janka Scale ratings, there are other tough options available too.
Bamboo Flooring
Bamboo flooring has one of the highest ratings on the Janka scale at around 3,800 to 5,000, varying among different bamboo flooring products. Strand woven bamboo is compared to Eucalyptus wood (carries a Janka rating of 4,000 – 5,000) for its incredible strength and everlasting durability.
You might wonder why the bamboo and eucalyptus are rated on Janka wood-rating scale? It’s because the Janka rating scale uses resin to harden them to determine their toughness artificially. Anyhow, they both have registered excellent durability advantages.
What About Engineered Hardwoods?
Can you make an intelligent guess about engineered hardwood rating on the Janka scale? 2,000 or 3,000? They don’t have any rating at all!
Yes, you heard it right! It’s because engineered hardwoods are composed in a way that they contain layers of softwood. This makes it difficult for the engineered hardwood to entail a specific rating on the Janka scale. Also, even when they are rated, the rating varies from brand to brand.
However, one thing remains clear that engineered wood flooring are some of the more robust and tougher wood flooring options available in the market. But if you’re going to purchase one, don’t focus on their Janka rating.
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