The Janka scale rates the relative hardness of wood. We have listed some of the most popular choices  and included some more exotic species for your reference and comparison.

 

The higher the number the harder the wood. These ratings were determined using the Janka Hardness Test  which measures the side hardness measure of the  force required to embed a .444 inch steel ball to half its diameter into the wood. This is one of the best measures of the ability of wood species to withstand denting and wear. It is also a good indicator of how hard a species is to saw or nail.

 

This should only be used as a general guide when comparing various species . Depending on where the wood is harvested the results may vary.  A wood's relative hardness is determined with the Janka Rating System, which measures the force required to drive a .444 inch steel ball into the wood until half the diameter of the ball is imbedded in the wood.

 

JANKA RATING

 

WOOD SPECIES  (Softest to Hardest)

 

 

350   Aspen

355   Yellow Buckeye

360   Western Red Cedar

380   Eastern White Pine

400   Basswood

420   Black Willow

432   Aspen

480   Redwood

490   Butternut

510   Bald Cypress

510   Sitca Spruce

540   American Chestnut

540   Poplar

600   Spanish Cedar

626   Western Junipern

660   Douglas Fir

690   Southern Yellow Pine

700   Silver Maple

710   Schedua

720   Port Orford Cedar

770   Sycamore

780   Parana

800   Honduran/ Genuine Mahogany

830   African Mahogany

830   Western Larch

830   American Elm

840   Leopardwood

850   Black Ash

850   Quilted Western Maple

850   Western Maple Burl

850   Curly Western Maple

860   Rock Elm

880   Hackberry

891   Lacewood

900   Easten Red Cedar (Oregon)

910   Paper Birch

930   Anigr

940   Boire

950   European Cherry

950   Red Maple

950   Curly Maple (Red Leaf)

950   Cherry Burl

950   Maple (Red Leaf)

950   Curly Cherry

950   Black Cherry/ Imbuia

960   Peruvian Walnut

995   Pink Ivory

995   American Cherry

1010 Walnut

1020  Holly

1055  Curly Pyinma

1080  Peruvian Walnut

1100  African Mahogany

1136  Cocobolo

1150  Pacific Yew

1155  Thuya Burl

1170  Koa

1200  Redheart

1250  Chakte Viga

1260  Iroko

1260  Yellow Pine

1260  Birch

1260  Flame Birch

1260  Birch Burl

1290  Red Oak

1290  Curly Oak

1290  Quarter Sawn Red Oak

1294  Figured Makore

1300 American Beech

1320  White Ash

1320  Curly White Ash

1320  Black Ash

1320  Swamp Ash

1335  Quarter Sawn White Oak

1349  Ribbon Heart

1350  Ebiar

1350  Tasmanian Oak

1375  Australian Cypress

1360  White Oak

1360  English Brown Oak

1400  Mayan Walnut

1439  Quilted Sapele

1441  Tulipwood

1450  Birdseye Maple

1450  Hard Maple

1450  Curly Maple (Hard Maple)

1450  Quarter Sawn Maple

1450  Bark Pocket Maple

1450  Hard Maple Burl

1450  Spalted Maple

1450  Rift Sawn Hard Maple

1460  Madrone Burle

1470  Sweet Burch

1490  Curupixa

1510  Sapele

1530  Witch Hazel

1540  Nicaraguan Rosewood

1548  Honey Locust

1557  Peroba

1560  Afrormosia

1570  True Pine

1575  Zebrawood

1600  Black Palm

1600  Red Palm

1624  Tualang

1630  Wenge/ Red Pine/ Hornbeam

1650  Shedua

1658  Zebrawood

1658  Figured Zebrawood

1686  Highland Beech

1700  African Blackwood

1700  Black Locust

1710  Kempas

1712  Merbau

1720  African Blackwood

1725  Padauk

1730  Apple

1780  Black & White Ebony

1780  E. Indian Rosewood

1780  Honduras Rosewood

1780  Honduras Rosewood Burl

1810  Afzelia Burl/ Australian Wormy Chestnut

1820  Shakbark Hickory

1820  Pecan/ Satinwood

1860  Hop Hornbeam

1860  Jarrah Burl

1878  Yellowheart/Merbau

1912  Amendoim

1925  Merbau

1933  Tualang

1940  Cameron

1798 Bangkiraj

1980  Bubinga

2000  Canarywood

2023  Sydney Blue Gum

2030  Kauri (Ancient)

2040  Osage Orange

2090  Ohia

2135  Brushbox

2140  Sucupira or Brazilian Chestnut

2150  Dogwood

2160  Goncalo Alves/ Brazilian Koa

2170  Pradoo

2170  Amboyna Burl

2170  Curly Narra

2200  Bocote

2200  Chechen

2200  Ziricote

2200  Santos Mahogany

2219  Padauk

2235  Wenge

2260  Cochen Rosewood

2299  Tornillo

2300  Persimmon

2318  Spalted Tamarind

2330  Golden Teak

2345  Screwbean Mesquite

2400  Bolivian Rosewood

2400  Osage Orange (Argentine)

2450  Granadillo

2473  Red Spotted Gum (Australian)

2520  Purpleheart

2520  Figured Purpleheart

2532  Marblewood

2620  Amazon Rosewood

2628  Figured Bubinga

2628  Quilted Bubinga

2628  Bubinga

2670  Southern Chestnut

2690  Jatoba

2697  Red Mahogany /Turpentine

2740  Olivewood

2760  Osage Orange (USA)

2900  Bloodwood

2940  Tamboti

2940  Mopani

3000  Stranded Wooven Bamboo

3040  Yvyraro

3220  Gaboon Ebony

3220  Macassar Ebony

3220  Mun Ebony

3220  Indian Ebony

3340  Kingwood

3340  Camatillo

3540  Cumaru

3620  Katalox

3620  Figured Katalox 

3664  Grey Ironbark

3650  Bolivian Cherry

3680  African Pearlwood/ Brazilian Cherry

3684  Ipe or Brazilian Walnut/ Lapacho

3692  Brazilian Ebony

3700  Brazilian Olivewood

3800  Snakewood

3840  Patagorian Rosewood/ Brazilian Tiger Mahogany

3860  Brown Ebony

4000  Lignum Vitae (Argentine)

4500  Guayacan/ Lignum Vitae

4570  Red Quebracho

5060  Australian Buloke