what wood is the hardest for flooring

Full Answer

What is the toughest type of flooring?

“Tile is the highest-rated flooring among the categories we test,” says Enrique de Paz, who leads flooring testing at Consumer Reports. “It doesn't wear out, scratch, or stain. Its color doesn't fade, it's waterproof, and it is surprisingly slip-resistant, even when wet.

What is the most scratch resistant wood flooring?

Selecting a floor such as Hickory, Hard Maple or White Oak can protect your floor from damage, as these hardwoods are less susceptible to scratches than softer woods like Pine, Cherry or Black Walnut. Hardwoods with more dramatic grain patterns can help to hide scratches more easily.

What are the 3 levels of wood flooring?

Each grade has its own particular characteristics and appearance. Especially pertaining to Oak hardwood flooring, the 3 most commonly used grades are: Select, #1 Common, and #2 Common, which is also known as “Rustic” grade, or “Builder's” grade.

What is the best wood for flooring?

The best hardwood floors are made with wood species that are readily available and — you guessed it — very hard. Oak flooring, maple flooring and cherry flooring are all good choices. Other species include bamboo (which is actually a grass), walnut, ash and mahogany.

Which floor lasts the longest?

Porcelain and ceramic are some of the longest lasting flooring materials available, and they require little maintenance. Tile flooring is also moisture resistant, making it the perfect choice for areas where spills are common like bathrooms, kitchens, and laundry rooms.

What is the longest lasting wood flooring?

Ebony, cherry, live oak, or bamboo are the most durable choices. These extremely hard woods (and wood-like bamboo) wear well and are more resistant to minor damage than other options.

What thickness of flooring is best?

Laminate ranges from 6-mm to 12-mm and, as a rule, it shouldn't be less than 8-mm. If, however, budget is an issue and if your subfloor is level and debris-free, you might be able to get away with 7-mm; keep in mind that subfloor imperfections can telegraph to the surface floor, so make sure it's okay.

Which floor type is best?

Tests at Consumer Reports found porcelain tile to be the most durable type of flooring, resistant to scratches, dents, and moisture. It's also very easy to clean. Glazed ceramic and porcelain tile require very little maintenance, though other types need more.

What is premium hardwood flooring?

Premium grade will have the longest average lengths. Generally boxed in 1′-7′ Random Lengths with an average board length of 3′-3 1/2′ in length. Long Length Exotic wood flooring is also available by request, contact your Hardwood Floor Depot sales specialist for more information.

What type of wood flooring is popular now?

There's always a high demand for hardwood flooring, but one type is proving to be exceptionally in demand: white oak. “It takes color so beautifully, but it's also beautiful in its natural state,” asserts Meska, who says that the versatile tree species is the perfect canvas for applying all sorts of colors and glosses.

Which floor is easiest to maintain?

Vinyl flooringVinyl flooring is probably the easiest to clean out of all the options listed here and also one of the easiest to maintain. Also known as Cushion Floor, vinyl flooring is available at a good price and can take plenty of wear over the years, which is why many will come with a 15 year warrantee.

What is considered the best wood?

The 10 Best Woods for Woodworking (According to a Pro)Cherry. 4/11. ... Hard Maple. 5/11. ... Mahogany. 6/11. ... Pine. 7/11. ... Rosewood. 8/11. ... Teak. 9/11. ... Walnut. 10/11. ... White and Red Oak. 11/11. Characteristics: Reddish brown to tan; strong grain figure; hard and heavy; stains well.More items...

What is the most durable scratch-resistant flooring?

CERAMIC AND PORCELAIN TILE Tile made from ceramic or porcelain is the most scratch-resistant flooring. Ceramic tile is made of fired clay, and it's a hard and durable substance. Porcelain tile is a type of ceramic, but they make it from a more cultivated clay and bake it at higher temperatures.

What flooring is dog scratch-resistant?

Laminate, vinyl, tile, and carpet have excellent scratch resistance to hold up to the click-clack of claws. Plus, laminate and vinyl can be made to look like hardwood, so you can take advantage of the attractive look without your floors getting scratched up.

Which is more scratch-resistant vinyl or laminate flooring?

Laminate and LVT/LVP flooring are both extremely durable, but they have their weaknesses. Laminate is prone to scratches and chipped corners over time, so vinyl is probably a better choice for your home if you have pets. LVT/LVP is scratch-resistant, but it's more vulnerable to denting and tearing.

Which floors scratch easily?

Hardwood or Softwood Softwoods such as pine, spruce or fir are more likely to scratch with normal use, so they are better suited to areas of your home that don't get a lot of traffic, such as a bedroom. Hardwoods such as oak, maple or birch are denser, so they resist scratches better than softwoods.

What is the hardest wood to use for hardwood floors?

Hickory is one of the hardest domestic woods available for hardwood flooring. It ranks fairly high on the Janka scale at 1,820. It’s a good option that surpasses the industry standard of hardness, but there are many harder options to consider as well.

What is the hardest flooring?

Ipe or Brazilian walnut is top-notch if you want the hardest and most durable flooring on the market. It boasts a Janka rating of 3,680, making it extremely hard to dent.

What is a Garapa hardwood floor?

Garapa is a hardwood that also takes on the name of “Golden Teak.” One great feature of Garapa hardwood floors is that they are golden in color. It’s one of the softer options when it comes to exotic wood as it has a 1,700 Janka rating.

What scale is used to determine the hardness of a hardwood floor?

Hardwood floors are rated for their hardness using the Janka scale.

Is hardwood the hardest flooring?

While hardwood from the United States is used for flooring, it’s not the hardest that’s available. If you’re looking for the hardest floors you can find, exotic species are the way to go.

Do you need a Janka rating for hardwood floors?

Is it a high traffic area that is bound to see rough wear and tear? Is it an area that a pet will use often? If you said “yes,” then you would benefit from choosing a hardwood floor with a higher Janka rating.

Is hardwood worth it?

If dents and scratches are your main concern, the hardest hardwood floors will be worth it.

What is the hardest wood?

While it may seem logical to pick the very hardest wood, keep these points in mind: 1 Softwood can be hardened to some degree by the application of polyurethane finishes. 2 Hardwood is always much more expensive than the softer woods. 3 Hardwood is more difficult to saw, drill, and nail than other woods, requiring more time and labor—which translates into a greater expense. 4 Softwood can work well in some applications—decks, shops, and outbuildings, for example.

What is the most durable wood for flooring?

The most durable flooring woods will be hardwoods such as oak, walnut, ebony , maple, ash, and pecan. Softwoods such as fir, pine, and hemlock rarely work well as flooring materials, except in a shop or utility area. For the hardest woods, you need to look for exotics, not domestics.

What is Janka hardness?

It is important to remember that the testing process used in the Janka scale is an impact test, not a test of scratching, scuffing, or any other wear and tear that flooring experiences. To learn the basic hardness of different common woods used in flooring, check the chart below.

What is a hardwood tree?

Hardwoods are from trees that are identified as dicot species. Dicots are plants in which the seed has two embryonic leaves (cotyledons). This is in contrast to softwood species, which are angiosperms —plants in which the seeds are unenclosed, as the pine cones of conifers.

What is the best way to measure wood hardness?

The Janka test measures the amount of force needed to drive a 0.444-inch steel ball into wood to a depth equal to half its diameter. The higher the rating, the harder the wood. While there are other elements that go into how a wood species performs as a flooring material, the Janka scale will give you a good idea of whether your wood floor will last for decades to come or will quickly surrender to the onslaught of dog claws and foot traffic.

Where do exotic wood floors come from?

For the hardest woods, you need to look for exotics, not domestics. Exotics are sourced from areas like Indonesia and South America. Domestics come from Canada and the United States. Exotics are not always more expensive, especially when you shop at bargain wood flooring outlets such as BuildDirect or Lumber Liquidators.

Is hardwood flooring hard?

It is not enough to simply pick any so-called hardwood species, because hardwoods vary quite a lot in their hardness from species to species, and some are actually softer than some softwood species. ...

What is the hardest wood to build?

Also known as Cumaru, Brazilian Teak is another of the hardest species of wood, and is commonly used for outdoor flooring such as decks. Lighter than Mahogany or Brazilian Cherry, Cumaru ranges from medium tans to reddish browns with minimal graining. Originating in Central and South America, Brazilian Teak has a Janka rating of 3540, making it 176% harder than northern red oak.

What is mahogany wood?

Mahogany is a classic luxury wood, evoking images of beautiful paneled walls and classic mansions . Mahogany is typically a darker wood, with tones of warm, reddish brown. Typically harvested in South America, Mahogany has a Janka score of 2200, making it 71% harder than northern red oak. Mahogany features striped grains and minor color variations, and if properly cared for it can easily last over a century.

What is the hardest wood?

Hickory (1820), the hardest of commonly available hardwoods, boasts a tensile strength that rivals steel. Hickory features very interesting grain patterns and a color palette that runs from lighter blonde in the sapwood to rich cocoa brown and beige in the heartwood.

What kind of wood is Carlisle wide plank?

Our wide plank specialists can walk you through the benefits of using a highly dense wood like Maple or a much softer wood like Cherry. They can also help you explore all your options for customizing your floor to your needs.

Why choose wide plank floors from Carlisle?

When you come to Carlisle, you’ll be working with the country’s #1 provider of handcrafted wide plank floors. For more than 50 years, we’ve produced floors of the highest quality using time-honored techniques and the most reliable timber from American forests. Every Carlisle floor is a masterpiece that reflects the style and sophistication of the homeowner who commissions it. Your Carlisle floor will be a central design feature of your home that will continue to inspire you every time you into the room.

What is Janka hardness?

The Janka hardness test determines the density of wood and its resistance to scratches, dents and wear. The test measures the amount of force required to embed a small steel ball halfway into a plank of wood. The results of the hardness test are listed as pounds of force (pounds-force or lbf) in the Janka wood hardness chart, or Janka Hardness Scale.

What is the color of hickory?

Hickory features very interesting grain patterns and a color palette that runs from lighter blonde in the sapwood to rich cocoa brown and beige in the heartwood. Brown Maple (1450) is known for its hardness and durability.

What is red oak?

Red Oak (1290) is known for its deep, salmon tones in the heartwood and for tight, consistent grain that yields boards of exceptional widths and lengths.

Is Janka hardwood or pine?

While the Janka wood hardness chart provides values for many types of wood, only a limited number of species are commonly available as hardwood or Pine floors. At Carlisle, we offer a variety of woods that range from extremely dense to fairly soft, enabling our customers to choose the perfect floor for their home.

What is the hardest wood?

Hickory: The Hardest American Wood Species. Hickory is the most durable wood species grown domestically with a Janka rating around 1820. So while there might be some disadvantages of hickory flooring, strength is not among them.

What is the most durable wood flooring?

If you’re looking for the most durable wood flooring there is, Brazilian walnut is going to be right near the top of the list. It’s not the hardest wood in the world, but as far as woods commonly used for flooring are concerned, it’s #1 with a whopping 3680 Janka rating.

How many types of wood flooring are there?

There are literally hundreds of wood flooring types to choose from. How do you know which species will make the most durable wood flooring?

When was laminate flooring invented?

And more importantly, that plasticate wear layer is extremely durable. Laminate flooring was invented in the 1970s by Pergo, who still produces it today along with a bunch of other manufacturers (you can check out some Pergo and Pergo Extreme reviews here).

What is the best wood floor to make a pop?

Seriously—some of the most beautiful wood floor patterns use hickory to make them pop. And generally, the pros and cons of hickory flooring come down to the fact that some people love its unique personality, while others don’t care for it. #3. Santos Mahogany: An Exotic and Durable Wood.

What is hickory wood?

Hickory is a beautiful and unique wood species that sports various colors and a ton of grain character. It’s one of the best hardwood floors for buyers who want a durable surface and a lot of personality in their wood. Seriously—some of the most beautiful wood floor patterns use hickory to make them pop.

What is the most durable finish?

Oil-based polyurethane —One of the most common finishes (and one of the most durable).

Hardwoods and Softwoods

Janka Hardness Ratings of Wood Species

Considerations When Choosing Flooring

Bamboo and Eucalyptus

• Some of the hardest floors available are strand-woven bamboo and eucalyptus, where you may see Janka ratings at levels from 3,800 to over 5,000, making them harder than all hardwoods. Yet these are not hardwoods. In fact, these plants are not wood at all but are instead grasses. The Janka hardness test is often applied to bamboo and eucalyptus floo...

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Other Considerations