What Is The Hardest Wood Flooring You Can Buy

Paradiso is a luxury brand that actually combines certain aspects of solid and engineered hardwood flooring. They make wood flooring the old-fashioned way, with super-thick wood veneers and a long-lasting natural oil finish, plus the added dimensional stability of a high-strength core.

what is the hardest wood flooring you can buy

If for you, durability is the same as longevity, then solid wood is going to be the most durable wood flooring. Why? It can be refinished almost indefinitely! Even the best engineered wood flooring options can only be refinished a couple of times (at most) due to the thinness of the veneer.

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.

One of the most common exotic hardwood species for flooring, Santos mahogany is a super durable wood flooring option. Santos mahogany comes in around 2200 on the Janka scale and features a deep red color with a tight grain.

Ash flooring combines an excellent Janka rating of 1320 with a light, stylish grain that looks great in modern designs. Unfortunately, ash trees are currently threatened by a blight caused by the emerald ash borer beetle, so it may not be the most environmentally friendly flooring choice on this list.

These days, a huge number of wood floors come pre-finished (especially at retail). That means you need to ask your flooring retailer about the durability of any finish you purchase. Some of the most common are:

Basically, laminate can be made to look like absolutely anything thanks to its photo-realistic image layer. 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).

And since pet urine, scratch marks, and slobber can all wreak havoc on your floor, you may end up refinishing your wood floors more often than someone without pets. And that means solid wood could be the better choice for you.

When looking into the hardest hardwood floors, there are a few options to decide from. Since all the options rank high on the Janka scale, your choice should come down to the floor that is right for you.

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Of course, any hardwood floor is a better surface for pet-friendly homes than carpet. All the allergens such as dust, mold and animal dander that can get buried in a carpet can be easily swept away on a hardwood floor. And cleaning up occasional accidents is no problem with a hardwood surface, whereas removing the stain and smell from an accident on the carpet can be a big challenge.

A lot of you reading knew this one was going to be first. Not only do oak hardwood floors look amazing, with their yellow-brown hue, in just about any room of the house, they can also do their job for over one hundred years. A big reason oak is so durable has to do with its density. An oak tree can live for a thousand years. Stop and think about that before you just nod your head and read on. There are oak trees born in early medieval England that could still be alive today. This is a tough, reliable material for your floors.

Oak still not tough enough for you? Consider hickory. Whereas oak ranks about 1400 on the Janka Hardness Scale, hickory scores closer to 2000. Hickory is a light-colored wood fraught with alluring grains and streaks. For this reason, many customers choose wider planks to really show off their style.

If you need help determining which wood floor species is right for your home, call a local hardwood floor company to help you make the decision. They will be able to walk you through all of the pros and cons of each species.

The best hardwood flooring for your wallet is typically made from bamboo or oak. Known to last for centuries, oak hardwood is a solid option that offers low prices and high availability. Bamboo is one of the most affordable hardwood options and is also one of the most durable options, perfect for high-traffic areas around the home.

Bamboo, hickory, cherry, oak and pine made the list for the cheapest hardwood flooring options. Beyond price, these affordable hardwood options add value with durability, strength and long-lasting structures.

Bamboo is one of the most underrated hardwood flooring materials. Considered one of the most durable hardwood materials, bamboo undergoes a unique manufacturing process that makes it tougher than other types. Bamboo hardwood costs about $3.50 per square foot.

Hickory hardwood flooring is highly resistant to scratches and dents and is considered one of the hardest wood materials. Plus, this long-lasting hardwood is available at an affordable price starting at $3 per square foot.

Cherry is one of the most common hardwoods used in construction. The color of this hardwood darkens over time to create stunning, deep tones. The average cost of cherry wood costs $3 per square foot.

Oak is one of the most popular and common types of hardwoods. Oak features a tight wood grain that works well in nearly any room. A highly durable and attractive hardwood option, oak costs start at $2 per square foot.

Since the bedroom is not a high traffic area in the home, you can opt for a more affordable hardwood floor. Pine, cherry and oak are all great choices. Oak offers more protection against scratches and dents, while pine provides an unbeatable price for tight budgets.

Kitchen floors experience everything from moisture, to spilled food, to dents and scratches, so a durable hardwood is a must. Oak and bamboo are easy options to ensure a long-lasting and durable surface.

The cheapest place to buy hardwood flooring is through big box stores. Big box stores offer competitive prices as low as $0.79 per square foot. Keep in mind that big box stores tend to have hidden fees such as shipping, handling and delivery added on at checkout.

Late December or early January remain consistent buying times for hardwood flooring. This means that wholesalers and installation companies are offering discounted prices and more flexible scheduling times for installation.

If you purchase your hardwood materials locally, it can be helpful to ask for references from the wholesaler. Another great option is to do your research online. You can find ratings and reviews on popular review websites. Look out for multiple low-star ratings and harsh reviews.

The most affordable hardwood that offers the best level of quality is oak. Oak is highly durable, resistant to scratches and dents and offers an attractive finish. It works well in nearly any room in the home. Plus, it starts at a great price of about $2 per square foot.

Also known as Curupay or by the exaggerated name Patagonian Rosewood, Cebil is not a true rosewood. It has a highly variable streaked appearance not too unlike Goncalo Alves. Katalox / Wamara(Swartzia spp.)

Pieces are very seldom seen for sale, as this tree is too small to produce commercially viable lumber. Like the unrelated Desert Ironwood, Black Ironwood is an excellent choice for small turning projects.African Blackwood(Dalbergia melanoxylon)

Formerly classified as a member of the Acacia genus, this south African hardwood is a tough customer. The wood is stubbornly hard, and the tree is protected by giant sharp thorns.Verawood(Bulnesia arborea)

Sometimes called Argentine Lignum Vitae, this wood is a gem: inexpensive, great olive-green color, beautiful feathery grain pattern, and it takes a great natural polish on the lathe.Snakewood(Brosimum guianensis)

The poster, Worldwide Woods, Ranked by Hardness, should be required reading for anyone enrolled in the school of wood nerdery. I have amassed over 500 wood species on a single poster, arranged into eight major geographic regions, with each wood sorted and ranked according to its Janka hardness. Each wood has been meticulously documented and photographed, listed with its Janka hardness value (in lbf) and geographic and global hardness rankings. Consider this: the venerable Red Oak (Quercus rubra) sits at only #33 in North America and #278 worldwide for hardness! Aspiring wood nerds be advised: your syllabus may be calling for Worldwide Woods as part of your next assignment!

I noticed on your 500 worldwide woods you put nz woods in the Australian section, if you do an update maybe change it to Australasia, which is more technically correct. Anyway, my main point it that Black Maire and Puriri are considered two of the hardest woods in New Zealand. I noticed someone below asked about Puriri already but have you tested Black Maire?Cheers!

This is interesting, but it would be really nice if the measurements for some common woods were also included on the list. Not necessarily as a comprehensive ranking from balsa to lignum vitae, but maybe oak, beech, birch, pine would really help mere mortals to get a sense of the scale.

To be honest, this article is quite outdated, and needs to be updated. I did a poster on Janka hardness which was much more comprehensive, and the wood you mention (Mangkono) ranked #1 for the Pacific Islands region, and #6 overall. -database.com/worldwide-woods/

There is an archived listing of the top 125 hardest and softest woods, along with a good description of hardness testing by Brinell steel ball, Chalais-Meudon Monnin steel cylinder, Janka steel ball.

Still an amateur woodworker, so excuse what my be a silly question, which of these top 10 woods would withstand the use of being a riser for a take down bow? The limbs are made of ash, have tried oak and other common hardwoods to the UK but none can stand the strain. Many thanks Jon 041b061a72