Janka hardness test 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 the cut surface of a stump is
Les Janka Les Janka Leslie A. Janka is President-Saudi Arabia for Quincy International LLC, resident in Riyadh Saudi Arabia.. He has more than 25 years experience as an international affairs specialist in the U.S. Government, business consulting and academic institutions. Prior to joining Quincy International, Janka was President of Raytheon Arabian Systems Company in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Prior to managing his independent consulting firm, Les Janka International from 1995 to 2007, he directed the international practice of the energy utility and telecommunications specialty consulting unit of Arthur Andersen, LLP. Janka is a frequent writer and lecturer on the Washington political scene, specializing