How important is hardness when looking at timbers?
Australia uses the Janka scale as a reference when looking at hardness of timbers. All floors are subject to impact and all floors will dent under some conditions. Selecting timbers with a hardness rating that is below 4.5 on this scale will result in a floor that dents easily. However, selecting timbers above 4.5 will give superior results and most Australian timbers are above 6. As you go higher however you should not expect significantly less denting. There are diminishing returns: so a floor rated at 7 appears to wear as well as a floor rated at 10 in real life conditions.
As long as the score is above 4.5 you will have a hard-wearing floor.
Hardness alone is not the key factor when selecting a floor.
In fact having a floor that is too hard can also cause problems with certain timbers. Timbers between 4.5 – 9.1 are optimal in flooring. Beyond 9.1 care is required as cracking and checking are things that can spoil the appearance of some harder timbers. While some timbers are oily and stronger, some become dry and brittle. It is important to recognize that harder is not always better. Yes we would recommend a dense timber but optimally 4.5 – 9.1 is ideal with care taken as you go harder. As always we are delighted to offer assistance.
VCS are a West Australian Company supplying quality timber floors throughout WA. Make VCS Products your choice for quality timber flooring in Perth and throughout WA.