Janka Hardness
Rating
A hardness rating applied to all timbers that measures the wood's resistance to indentation. Understanding Janka ratings helps you select the right timber for your lifestyle and application.
Hardness is an important consideration when selecting a suitable timber for many your lifestyle requirement. Higher Janka ratings indicate greater resistance to denting, scratches, making them ideal for high-traffic areas and commercial applications.
The Janka Hardness Test measures the force required to embed a steel ball halfway into wood. All timbers are rated on a scale, helping you make informed decisions about which species best suits your project needs.
Timber Hardness Summary
Janka Rating
≥ 10
Very Hard
Timber Species
Spotted Gum
Red Ironbark
Grey Ironbark
Grey Gum
Forest Red Gum
White Mahogany
Grey Box
Red Mahogany
Merbau
Janka Rating
7 to 10
Hard
Timber Species
Blackbutt
Blue Gum
AST Golden Oak
Brushbox
Wormy Chestnut
Roasted Cayenne
White Stringybark
WA Karri
Jarrah
Tallowwood
AST Pearl Beech
Cherry Mahogany
Australian Chestnut
Roasted Pearl
Roasted Caramel
Janka Rating
5.5 to 7
Very Hard
Timber Species
American White Oak
Cypress Pine
Southern Beech
Tasmanian Blackwood
Janka Rating
≤ 5.5
Very Hard
Timber Species
Victorian Ash
Tasmanian Oak
Complete Timber Hardness Table
Very Hard (≥10)
Hard (7-10)
Moderately Hard (5.5-7)
Soft (≤5.5)
Spotted Gum
Blackbutt
American White Oak
Victorian Ash
Red Ironbark
Jarrah
Southern Beech
Tasmanian Oak
Grey Ironbark
Blue Gum
Cypress Pine
Grey Gum
Tallowwood
Tasmanian Blackwood
Forest Red Gum
AST Golden Oak
