Compare woodworking species by Janka hardness rating side by side.
| Species | Type | Janka (lbf) | Hardness | Relative hardness | Typical uses |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Balsa | Hardwood | 100 | Very soft | Lightest commercial wood; model making, insulation cores | |
| Western Red Cedar | Softwood | 350 | Very soft | Outdoor decking, siding, shingles | |
| Eastern White Pine | Softwood | 380 | Very soft | Interior trim, furniture, cabinets | |
| Douglas Fir | Softwood | 660 | Soft | Structural framing, plywood face veneer | |
| American Black Cherry | Hardwood | 950 | Medium | Fine furniture, cabinetry, turning | |
| Black Walnut | Hardwood | 1,010 | Medium | Furniture, gunstocks, turning | |
| Teak | Exotic | 1,070 | Medium | Outdoor furniture, boat decking | |
| Yellow Pine (Longleaf) | Softwood | 1,225 | Medium | Flooring, heavy construction | |
| Yellow Birch | Hardwood | 1,260 | Medium | Cabinetry, furniture, plywood | |
| Red Oak | Hardwood | 1,290 | Medium | Flooring, cabinetry, furniture | |
| White Ash | Hardwood | 1,320 | Hard | Tool handles, sports equipment, flooring | |
| White Oak | Hardwood | 1,360 | Hard | Flooring, cooperage, outdoor furniture | |
| Hard Maple | Hardwood | 1,450 | Hard | Flooring, cutting boards, instruments | |
| Hickory | Hardwood | 1,820 | Very hard | Tool handles, flooring, smoking wood | |
| Pecan | Hardwood | 1,820 | Very hard | Flooring, furniture | |
| Osage Orange | Hardwood | 2,040 | Very hard | Bow making, fence posts, turning | |
| Purple Heart | Exotic | 2,520 | Very hard | Decorative accents, flooring, turning | |
| Brazilian Cherry (Jatoba) | Exotic | 2,690 | Very hard | Flooring, cabinetry | |
| Ipe | Exotic | 3,510 | Very hard | Outdoor decking, heavy construction | |
| Cumaru (Brazilian Teak) | Exotic | 3,540 | Very hard | Decking, flooring, heavy construction |
The Janka test (ASTM D143) measures the force required to embed a 0.444″ (11.28 mm) steel ball to half its diameter into the wood surface. Higher values indicate harder, more dent-resistant wood.
Janka hardness is a useful guide for flooring and tabletop choices, but keep in mind it measures resistance to indentation only — not tensile strength, stiffness, or workability. A very hard wood can still be brittle or prone to tear-out.