Wood Hardness (Janka)
Janka hardness ratings for common wood species.
| Species | Janka | Janka | Class |
|---|---|---|---|
| Balsa | 22 | 100 | Very soft |
| Basswood | 410 | 1824 | Soft |
| White Pine | 420 | 1868 | Soft |
| Poplar | 540 | 2402 | Soft |
| Cedar (Western Red) | 580 | 2580 | Soft |
| Cherry | 995 | 4426 | Medium |
| Walnut | 1010 | 4493 | Medium |
| Maple (Soft) | 950 | 4226 | Medium |
| Maple (Hard) | 1450 | 6450 | Hard |
| White Oak | 1360 | 6050 | Hard |
| Red Oak | 1290 | 5738 | Hard |
| Ash | 1320 | 5872 | Hard |
| Beech | 1300 | 5783 | Hard |
| Teak | 1070 | 4759 | Medium |
| Mahogany | 800 | 3558 | Medium |
| Hickory | 1820 | 8096 | Very hard |
| Hard Maple | 1450 | 6450 | Hard |
| Brazilian Cherry | 2350 | 10453 | Very hard |
| Ebony | 3220 | 14322 | Extremely hard |
| Lignum Vitae | 4500 | 20000 | Extremely hard |
About this lookup
- What is the Janka scale?
- Force required to embed a 0.444" steel ball halfway into a wood sample. Higher = harder.
- What is "hardwood"?
- Botanical classification (deciduous trees), not necessarily harder than softwood. Balsa is a hardwood by classification.