General Information

(Ranked by Janka hardness rating)

The Janka (or side) hardness test measures the force required to embed a .444-inch steel ball to half its diameter in wood. It is one of the best measures of the ability of a wood species to withstand denting and wear. By the same token, it is also a good indicator of how hard or easy a species is to saw or nail. Northern red oak, for example, has a Janka hardness rating of 1290. Brazilian cherry, with a rating of 2350, is nearly twice as hard. If you're accustomed to working with red oak and decide to tackle a job with Brazilian cherry, you can expect it to be much harder to cut and nail.

• Source: Hardness ratings for most species taken from Wood Handbook: Wood as an Engineering Material (Agricultural Handbook 72, Forest Products Laboratory, Forest Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture; revised 1987), except for Australian cypress, wenge, African padauk, merbau and Santos mahogany, which were provided by International Hardwood Flooring; heart pine by Mountain Lumber, and mesquite by Mesquite Products of Texas.

• Douglas fir rating is an average of ratings for Coast, Interior West and Interior North species.