JANKA HARDNESS SCALE

Definition: The hardness of a wood is rated on an industry wide standard known as the Janka test. The Janka test measures the force required to embed a .444 inch steel ball into the wood by half its diameter. The Janka hardness test (from the Austrian-born emigrant Gabriel Janka, 1864-1932) measures the resistance of a sample of wood to denting and wear.  A common use of Janka hardness ratings is to determine whether a species is suitable for use as flooring.

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