|
Janka Hardness
is a test which measures the pounds of force it takes to drive a .44"
diameter steel ball 1/2 its depth into wood. These numbers are
taken from various publications but principally are from the U.S.
Forest Products lab. The higher the number the harder the
species. While this is not a test that a luthier might consider when
selecting wood it does provide some insight into the woods structural
properties and it's viability for use in a musical instrument. If you are a fan of using White Ash
at 1320, but want a more interesting color or different grain patterny
this chart can provide some alternative choices. One might consider the
use of an alternative for color variation such as European Beech at 1300, or Angelique at 1290 |
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Domestic Species - to |
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Flooring Trade Name |
Botanical Name |
Hardness - Janka |
|
Ash, White |
Fraxinus, excelsior |
1320 |
|
Cherry, N. American |
Prunus, serotina |
950 |
|
Maple, N. American |
Acer, saccharum |
1450 |
|
Oak, Red |
Quercus, rubra |
1260 |
|
Oak, White |
Quercus, alba |
1360 |
|
Walnut, N. American |
Juglans, nigra |
1010 |
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Imported Species - to |
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Flooring Trade Name |
Botanical Name |
Hardness - Janka |
|
Afrormosia |
Pericopsis, elata |
1560 |
|
Amendoim |
Pterogyne, nitens |
1340 (15%) |
|
Angelique |
Dicorynia, guianensis |
1290 |
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Ash, Victorian |
Eucalyptus, delegatensis |
1010 |
|
Beech, European |
Fagus, slyvatica |
1300 |
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Bloodwood |
Brosimum, rubescens |
2900 |
|
Brushbox, Northern |
Tristania, spp |
2045 |
|
Bubinga |
Guibourtia, demeusei |
1980 |
|
Cherry, Brazilian |
Hymenaea, courbaril |
2820 |
|
Cherry, |
Lonchocarpus, castilloi |
3100 |
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Flooring Trade Name |
Botanical Name |
Hardness - Janka |
|
Cherry, Mayan/Aztec |
Lonchocarpus, castilloi |
3100 |
|
Cherry, Patagonian |
Guibourtia, chodatianal |
2800 |
|
Chestnut, Brazilian |
Dipteryx, odorata |
3540 |
|
Chestnut, Southern |
Sweetia, panamensis |
2670 |
|
|
Callitrus, glauca |
1375 |
|
Doussie |
Afzelia, spp |
1770 |
|
Goncalo Alves |
Astronium, spp |
2160 |
|
Gum, Sydney Blue |
Eucalyptus, saligna |
2025 |
|
Iroko/Kambala |
Chloraphora, excelsa |
1260 |
|
Kempas |
Koompassia, malaccensis |
1710 |
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Flooring Trade Name |
Botanical Name |
Hardness - Janka |
|
Lacewood |
Roupala, brasiliensis |
840 |
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Mahogany, Royal |
Pithecellobium, arboreum |
1400 |
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Mahogany, |
Myroxylon, balsamum |
2200 |
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Mahogany, Honduran |
Swietenia, macrophylla |
800 |
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Maple, Brazilian |
Balfourodendron, riedelianum |
1500 |
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Maple, Patagonian |
Balfourodendron, riedelianum |
1500 |
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Merbau |
Intsia, spp |
1925 |
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Merbau, Southern |
Pithecellobium, arboreum |
1400 |
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Oak, Tasmanian |
Eucalyptus, regnans/obliqua |
1010 |
|
Padauk, African |
Pterocarpus, soyauxii |
1725 |
|
Flooring Trade Name |
Botanical Name |
Hardness - Janka |
|
Purpleheart |
Peltogyne, spp |
2090 |
|
Rosewood, Bolivian |
Machaerium, sclieroxylon |
1780 |
|
Rosewood, |
Metopium, browneii |
2300 |
|
Rosewood, Honduran |
Dalbergia, Stevensonii |
2200 |
|
Rosewood, Patagonian |
Piptadenia, macrocarpa |
2800 |
|
Rosewood, |
Guibourtia, chodatianal |
2800 |
|
Shedua/Mutenye |
Guibourtia, arnoldiana |
1650 |
|
Tamarind |
Dialium, guianense |
3000 |
|
Teak, Brazilian |
Dipteryx, odorata |
3540 |
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Flooring Trade Name |
Botanical Name |
Hardness - Janka |
|
Teak, True |
Tectona, grandis |
1155 |
|
Tigerwood |
Astronium, spp |
2160 |
|
Walnut, Brazilian |
Tabebuia, spp |
3680 |
|
Walnut, |
Lysiloma, bahamensis |
1400 |
|
Walnut, Mayan/Aztec |
Lysiloma, bahamensis |
1400 |
|
Walnut, Patagonian |
Tabebuia, heptaphylla |
2800 |
|
Walnut, Peruvian |
Juglans, neotropica |
1080 |
|
Wenge |
Milletia, laurentii |
1630 |
|
Zebrawood |
Microberlina, brazzavillensis |
1575 |
This information was
provided by http://www.wflooring.com