These ratings were done using the janka hardness test.
Compare hardness of engineered hardwood floor.
Bamboo and hardwood do have a similar look and feel and both materials are available both in 3 4 inch thick solid planks and in engineered versions in which.
However you wouldn t make a conclusion on flooring hardness based off of a wood species alone when you re looking at engineered flooring.
Better still it s competitively priced compared to solid hardwood flooring.
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.
If you ve already started reviewing your options in the hardwood flooring market then you ll be well aware that engineered hardwood flooring is an increasingly popular product.
Solid wood flooring comes in long planks usually made of a hardwood species.
Hardwoods are better than softwoods.
Engineered wood flooring cons.
To luxury vinyl s 2 5 sq.
The janka hardness test measures the force required to embed a 444 inch steel ball to half its diameter in wood.
Upwards of 2 20 per square foot for engineered hardwood compared to upwards of 3 40 per square foot for solid.
Below are listed the relative hardness for numerous wood species used in flooring.
You wouldn t but mr.
To properly maintain hardwood treatment and refinishing time and money must be spent.
At first glance bamboo flooring can be mistaken for another form of hardwood flooring.
You can pick up cheap solid hardwood for the same price as budget friendly engineered flooring but it all depends on the species.
Solid wood flooring vs.
It is milled with tongues and grooves on opposite edges so that the boards interlock when installed.
Cost is not only a baseline factor with the average hardwood floor costing between 8 25 sq.
It is always nailed down to the subfloor a process that requires some skill.
However if you choose a harder wood like hickory you won t have to worry so much about damage most exotic engineered hardwood floors rank highly on the janka hardness scale which measures the hardness and durability of wood.
Engineered wood flooring.
Solid wood floors and engineered floors share the same species of wood.
While the complete janka hardness listings will reveal that there are some fairly hard softwoods and some relatively soft hardwoods in the species most commonly used in flooring the identifiers hold true.
Solid hardwood flooring will always be stronger than hardwood veneer engineered flooring.
And it is in fact often grouped together under the general category of solid hardwood flooring.
Ft it is also a factor that increases the price gap between luxury vinyl vs.
One negative to engineered wood flooring is its cost compared to domestic or common hardwood species.
Janka gave us an excellent way to compare how some species of wood will perform compared to others.