Alder Hardwood Flooring Hardness

When in doubt about the type of wood to select for your cabinetry flooring furniture or millwork project refer to the janka rating system which measures the relative hardness of woods.

Alder hardwood flooring hardness.

The janka hardness scale determines the hardness of a particular type of wood over another. This is why alder hardwood floors are recommended for homes where a rugged floor is acceptable. Wood hardness chart species alphabetical hardness species by hardness hardness mahogany honduran 800 padauk 1725 mahogany santos 2200 tabaccowood 1750 maple hard north american 1450 rosewood bolivian 1780 maple ivory 1500 bamboo carbonized 1800 maple soft 999 hickory 1820 merbau 1925 pecan 1820 mesquite 2345 yellowheart 1820. Throughout the wood flooring industry the janka hardness chart is recognized as the main source for questions related to the density and relative hardness of both domestic species as well as exotic wood species from around the world.

Alder hardwood flooring can be used for a casual formal or contemporary look. A common use of janka hardness ratings is to determine whether a species is suitable for use as flooring. On a hardness scale alder ranks just above pine and poplar. It measures the force required to embed an 11 28 millimetres 0 444 in diameter steel ball halfway into a sample of wood.

The janka rating for red alder the most commonly used in flooring is 590. Although classified as a hardwood alder is one of the softest of all hardwoods and is more commonly referred to as a semi hardwood. The janka hardness test from the austrian born emigrant gabriel janka 1864 1932 measures the resistance of a sample of wood to denting and wear. General description alder a relative of birch is almost white when freshly cut but quickly changes with exposure to air becoming light brown with a yellow or reddish tinge.

The hardest commercially available hardwood is hickory and it is five times harder than aspen one of the soft hardwoods. Alder is a fast growing pioneer species and has nitrogen fixing nodules on its roots. It does not imply a superior hardness density or quality of wood produced. The scale was invented in 1906 by gabriel janka an austrian wood researcher and standardized in 1927 by the american society for testing and materials depending on the room where the flooring will be installed a certain level of hardness may make it a more desirable choice.

While hardwoods tend to produce strong wood some softwoods produce even stronger wood. Distribution principally the pacific northwest where it is the most abundant commercial hardwood. In addition individual species of hardwoods vary considerably in terms of strength density color and texture. Fantastic floor offers alder hardwood flooring 3 4 thick 7 wide and random length from 2 to 8.