Reference chart
Janka Hardness Chart
Janka hardness (resistance to denting) for dozens of common and exotic woods, sortable, with a two-species comparison. Higher is harder.
Compare two woods
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Click a column heading to sort. Janka is the force (lbf) to embed a steel ball halfway into the wood.
| Wood | Type | Janka (lbf) | MOE (psi) | Specific gravity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lignum Vitae | hardwood | 4,390 | 2,481,000 | 1.26 |
| African Blackwood | hardwood | 3,670 | 2,603,000 | 1.27 |
| Ipe | hardwood | 3,490 | 3,089,000 | 1.05 |
| Cumaru | hardwood | 3,330 | 3,237,000 | 1.09 |
| Pink Ivory | hardwood | 3,230 | 2,193,000 | 1.04 |
| Massaranduba | hardwood | 3,130 | 3,344,000 | 1.08 |
| Gaboon Ebony | hardwood | 3,080 | 2,449,000 | 0.96 |
| Cocobolo | hardwood | 2,960 | 2,712,000 | 1.10 |
| Bloodwood | hardwood | 2,900 | 3,013,000 | 1.05 |
| Olivewood | hardwood | 2,710 | 1,797,000 | 0.98 |
| Jatoba | hardwood | 2,690 | 2,745,000 | 0.91 |
| Live Oak | hardwood | 2,680 | 1,960,000 | 1.00 |
| Osage Orange | hardwood | 2,620 | 1,689,000 | 0.86 |
| Purpleheart | hardwood | 2,520 | 2,937,000 | 0.90 |
| Bubinga | hardwood | 2,410 | 2,670,000 | 0.80 |
| Santos Mahogany | hardwood | 2,400 | 2,380,000 | 0.91 |
| East Indian Rosewood | hardwood | 2,350 | 1,783,000 | 0.80 |
| Persimmon | hardwood | 2,300 | 2,010,000 | 0.83 |
| Goncalo Alves | hardwood | 2,170 | 2,401,000 | 0.85 |
| Leopardwood | hardwood | 2,150 | 2,887,000 | 0.89 |
| Bocote | hardwood | 2,010 | 1,767,000 | 0.85 |
| Ziricote | hardwood | 1,970 | 1,585,000 | 0.81 |
| Pau Ferro | hardwood | 1,960 | 1,574,000 | 0.87 |
| Wenge | hardwood | 1,930 | 2,548,000 | 0.87 |
| Shagbark Hickory | hardwood | 1,880 | 2,160,000 | 0.80 |
| Zebrawood | hardwood | 1,830 | 2,374,000 | 0.74 |
| Pecan | hardwood | 1,820 | 1,730,000 | 0.74 |
| Yellowheart | hardwood | 1,790 | 2,413,000 | 0.83 |
| American Hornbeam | hardwood | 1,780 | 1,693,000 | 0.79 |
| African Padauk | hardwood | 1,710 | 1,895,000 | 0.69 |
| Black Locust | hardwood | 1,700 | 2,050,000 | 0.77 |
| Garapa | hardwood | 1,650 | 2,257,000 | 0.82 |
| European Hornbeam | hardwood | 1,630 | 1,755,000 | 0.74 |
| Swamp White Oak | hardwood | 1,600 | 2,029,000 | 0.77 |
| Honey Locust | hardwood | 1,580 | 1,630,000 | 0.75 |
| Afrormosia | hardwood | 1,570 | 1,715,000 | 0.72 |
| Canarywood | hardwood | 1,520 | 2,164,000 | 0.83 |
| Pin Oak | hardwood | 1,500 | 1,713,000 | 0.71 |
| Willow Oak | hardwood | 1,460 | 1,804,000 | 0.77 |
| European Beech | hardwood | 1,450 | 2,075,000 | 0.71 |
| Hard Maple | hardwood | 1,450 | 1,830,000 | 0.71 |
| Lyptus | hardwood | 1,420 | 2,049,000 | 0.85 |
| Bur Oak | hardwood | 1,360 | 1,040,000 | 0.72 |
| Sapele | hardwood | 1,360 | 1,790,000 | 0.67 |
| White Oak | hardwood | 1,350 | 1,762,000 | 0.75 |
| White Ash | hardwood | 1,320 | 1,740,000 | 0.67 |
| American Beech | hardwood | 1,300 | 1,720,000 | 0.72 |
| Yellow Birch | hardwood | 1,260 | 2,010,000 | 0.69 |
| Red Oak | hardwood | 1,220 | 1,761,000 | 0.70 |
| Makore | hardwood | 1,200 | 1,552,000 | 0.69 |
| Iroko | hardwood | 1,190 | 1,580,000 | 0.66 |
| Koa | hardwood | 1,170 | 1,503,000 | 0.61 |
| Oregon Ash | hardwood | 1,160 | 1,360,000 | 0.61 |
| Chestnut Oak | hardwood | 1,130 | 1,590,000 | 0.75 |
| Teak | hardwood | 1,070 | 1,781,000 | 0.66 |
| American Holly | hardwood | 1,020 | 1,110,000 | 0.64 |
| Black Walnut | hardwood | 1,010 | 1,680,000 | 0.61 |
| Anigre | hardwood | 990 | 1,588,000 | 0.55 |
| Imbuia | hardwood | 970 | 1,394,000 | 0.66 |
| Black Cherry | hardwood | 950 | 1,490,000 | 0.56 |
| Red Maple | hardwood | 950 | 1,640,000 | 0.61 |
| Paper Birch | hardwood | 910 | 1,590,000 | 0.61 |
| Eastern Redcedar | softwood | 900 | 880,000 | 0.53 |
| Honduran Mahogany | hardwood | 900 | 1,458,000 | 0.59 |
| Monkeypod | hardwood | 900 | 1,149,000 | 0.60 |
| Hackberry | hardwood | 880 | 1,190,000 | 0.60 |
| Longleaf Pine | softwood | 870 | 1,980,000 | 0.65 |
| Red Elm | hardwood | 860 | 1,490,000 | 0.60 |
| African Mahogany | hardwood | 850 | 1,410,000 | 0.54 |
| Bigleaf Maple | hardwood | 850 | 1,450,000 | 0.55 |
| Black Ash | hardwood | 850 | 1,600,000 | 0.55 |
| Sweetgum | hardwood | 850 | 1,640,000 | 0.55 |
| American Elm | hardwood | 830 | 1,340,000 | 0.56 |
| Western Larch | softwood | 830 | 1,870,000 | 0.58 |
| Black Tupelo | hardwood | 800 | 1,188,000 | 0.55 |
| American Sycamore | hardwood | 770 | 1,420,000 | 0.55 |
| Silver Maple | hardwood | 700 | 1,140,000 | 0.53 |
| Loblolly Pine | softwood | 690 | 1,790,000 | 0.57 |
| Shortleaf Pine | softwood | 690 | 1,750,000 | 0.57 |
| Sweet Chestnut | hardwood | 680 | 1,248,000 | 0.59 |
| Sassafras | hardwood | 630 | 1,120,000 | 0.50 |
| Douglas-Fir | softwood | 620 | 1,765,000 | 0.51 |
| Spanish Cedar | hardwood | 600 | 1,323,000 | 0.47 |
| Port Orford Cedar | softwood | 590 | 1,646,000 | 0.47 |
| Red Alder | hardwood | 590 | 1,380,000 | 0.45 |
| Tamarack | softwood | 590 | 1,640,000 | 0.59 |
| Alaska Yellow Cedar | softwood | 580 | 1,420,000 | 0.50 |
| Jack Pine | softwood | 570 | 1,350,000 | 0.50 |
| Red Pine | softwood | 560 | 1,630,000 | 0.55 |
| Northern Catalpa | hardwood | 550 | 1,210,000 | 0.46 |
| Yellow Poplar | hardwood | 540 | 1,580,000 | 0.46 |
| Bald Cypress | softwood | 510 | 1,440,000 | 0.51 |
| Sitka Spruce | softwood | 510 | 1,600,000 | 0.42 |
| Eastern Hemlock | softwood | 500 | 1,200,000 | 0.45 |
| Butternut | hardwood | 490 | 1,180,000 | 0.43 |
| Red Spruce | softwood | 490 | 1,560,000 | 0.43 |
| Lodgepole Pine | softwood | 480 | 1,340,000 | 0.47 |
| White Fir | softwood | 480 | 1,485,000 | 0.42 |
| White Spruce | softwood | 480 | 1,315,000 | 0.43 |
| Incense Cedar | softwood | 470 | 1,040,000 | 0.38 |
| Ponderosa Pine | softwood | 460 | 1,290,000 | 0.45 |
| Redwood | softwood | 450 | 1,220,000 | 0.42 |
| Black Willow | hardwood | 430 | 1,010,000 | 0.42 |
| Eastern Cottonwood | hardwood | 430 | 1,370,000 | 0.45 |
| Bigtooth Aspen | hardwood | 420 | 1,430,000 | 0.43 |
| American Basswood | hardwood | 410 | 1,460,000 | 0.42 |
| Noble Fir | softwood | 410 | 1,619,000 | 0.42 |
| Balsam Fir | softwood | 400 | 1,387,000 | 0.40 |
| Engelmann Spruce | softwood | 390 | 1,369,000 | 0.39 |
| Eastern White Pine | softwood | 380 | 1,240,000 | 0.40 |
| Sugar Pine | softwood | 380 | 1,190,000 | 0.40 |
| Quaking Aspen | hardwood | 350 | 1,180,000 | 0.42 |
| Western Redcedar | softwood | 350 | 1,110,000 | 0.37 |
Related calculators
Sources
These calculators are for planning and estimation. Engineering results (shelf sag, wood movement) use published average material properties; real boards vary by grade, grain, moisture and defects. Verify load-bearing designs with a professional.