Janka hardness test understand which woods are harder than others. Janka hardness test 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. It measures the force required to embed an diameter steel ball halfway into a sample of wood. A common use of Janka hardness ratings is to determine whether a species is suitable for use as flooring. The hardness of wood varies with the direction of the wood grain. Testing on the surface of a plank, perpendicular to the grain, is said to be of "side hardness". Testing
Janka hardness test called a test of "end hardness". Side hardness may be further divided into "radial hardness" and "tangential hardness", although the differences are minor and often neglected. The results are stated in various ways, which can lead to confusion, especially when the actual units employed are often not attached. Overall, the resulting measure is always one of force. In the United States, the measurement is in pounds-force (lbf). In Sweden it is in kilograms-force (kgf), and in Australia, either in newtons (N) or kilonewtons (kN). This confusion is greatest when the results are treated as units, for example "660 Janka". The