Everyone wants the most durable finish for their floor, but in reality, the finish is only as strong as the wood it’s applied to. The Janka Hardness Scale is used to measure the hardness of any given species of wood. The scale measures the force required to embed a 0.444 inch steel ball half way through a sample of wood. The higher the number, the harder and more dent/ scratch resistant the wood is. Surprisingly everyday items can cause some serious damage to your hardwood flooring. For example, high heeled shoes are one of the biggest enemies of hardwood floors, especially softer species such as pine and walnut. When all the pressure of the shoe is concentrated in the small point of the heel instead of evenly distributed throughout the sole, the heel causes dents. The most common wood flooring found in the United States, red or white oak, has a rating of 1290 and 1360 respectively. Other common species found in flooring are hard maple (1450), hickory (1820), walnut (1010), southern yellow pine (870), and Brazilian cherry (2350). This is another reason why it is ideal to have a skilled contractor due to their knowledge and expertise with dealing with all types of hardwoods.
