If you’ve ever found yourself comparing wood species for a project—whether a cutting board, a dining table, or even a pair of handcrafted pens—you’ve probably bumped into something called the Janka Hardness Scale. And if you’re like most people, you may have nodded politely, pretended you understood, and then quietly wondered, “Okay… but what does that actually mean?”
Good news: this post is your no-nonsense, headache-free guide.
No physics degree required.
No equations.
No charts that look like they escaped from a lumber lab.
Just a clear, simple, real-world explanation… straight from a woodworker who actually uses this stuff every day in the shop.
What Is the Janka Hardness Scale, Really?
In plain English, the Janka Hardness Scale measures how hard a piece of wood is.
That’s it.
More specifically, it measures how much force it takes to push a small steel ball halfway into the wood. But unless you regularly drive steel balls into lumber for fun (and if you do, I have questions), that part doesn’t matter.
Here’s the part that does matter:
Higher Janka number = harder wood
Lower Janka number = softer wood
Think of it like comparing apples, oranges, and bowling balls.
Some woods will dent if you drop your keys on them.
Others could probably survive a meteor strike.
Why Does Janka Hardness Matter for Everyday Woodworkers?
Different projects demand different levels of durability. When you understand hardness, you make better choices—choices that save you time, money, and frustration later.
Here’s a quick breakdown:
★ Cutting Boards
Hard. But not too hard.
Maple and walnut hit the sweet spot: tough enough to resist knife marks, soft enough not to dull your blades.
Janka sweet spot: 900–1,500
★ Furniture
It depends on the piece.
Dining tables? You want something that stands up to everyday chaos—forks, elbows, toys, and the occasional homework meltdown.
Cabinet doors? Harder woods provide crisp details and resist wear.
Ranges go from soft pines around 400 to dense exotics around 2,000+.
★ Pens, Charcuterie Boards, and Small Crafts
Hardwoods shine here.
A denser wood gives a piece presence, polish, and longevity.
Wenge, Cocobolo, Padauk, and Bubinga? Wonderful options.
A Few Popular Woods & Their Janka Hardness
Here’s a friendly cheat sheet for the species most folks run into:
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Basswood – ~410 (carving favorite, dents easily)
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Pine (various species) – 350–870
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Cherry – ~950
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Walnut – ~1,000
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Maple (hard maple) – ~1,450
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Hickory – ~1,820 (tough as nails)
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Wenge – ~1,930
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Brazilian Cherry (Jatoba) – ~2,350
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Ebony – 3,000+ (the tank of the wood world)
Now, don’t memorize these numbers. This isn’t a pop quiz.
Just know the feel of the numbers:
Under 1,000 = softer, more forgiving
1,000–2,000 = durable, dependable hardwoods
2,000+ = dense, extremely tough, tool-dulling beasts
What Hardness Does Not Mean
Here’s where people get tripped up.
1. Harder Doesn’t Always Mean Better
A cutting board made from ebony?
Beautiful… yes. Practical?
About as practical as carving your Thanksgiving turkey with a chainsaw.
Super-hard woods can dull knives, chip tools, and crack under stress.
2. Hardness Doesn’t Equal Stability
A wood can be very hard and still move like crazy with humidity changes.
Looking at you, hickory.
3. Hardness Isn’t the Same as Density
They’re related, but not identical. Dense wood usually feels heavier, but that doesn’t always reflect how it handles impacts.
How I Use the Janka Scale in My Shop
When I’m designing a new product for Hedges Woodcraft—whether it’s a walnut cutting board, a Cocobolo tie bar, or a Wenge charcuterie board with a white-painted handle—the Janka number helps answer questions like:
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Will this wood dent easily?
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Will it crack during shaping or engraving?
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Will it polish to a high shine?
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Will it resist everyday wear?
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Is it too hard for the purpose?
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Is it too soft to last?
The magic is in the balance.
Some woods, like maple, sit right in the middle: strong, predictable, clean-grained, and a joy to work with. Others, like Wenge, are jaw-droppingly beautiful but can be stubborn in the shop and harsh on tools.
It’s all about pairing the right wood with the right job.
A Simple Way to Remember the Janka Scale
Forget the numbers.
Forget the steel ball.
Just remember this:
Soft woods dent easily.
Medium-hard woods make reliable, everyday products.
Very hard woods are stunning but require respect—and sharp blades.
If you can keep those three categories in mind, you already understand 95% of the Janka Hardness Scale.
No charts required.
The Story Behind the Hardness
Every tree grows through seasons—storms, sunlight, drought, competition—and all of that is written into the grain.
A soft wood tells the story of a tree that grew quickly.
A hard wood tells the story of a slow, patient climb to the canopy.
When you hold a finished board or pen in your hands, you’re not just holding a number on a scale—you’re holding the result of decades of growing, strengthening, and surviving.
And that’s the part I love the most.
Because when you understand the character of a wood, you don’t just choose materials—you choose stories worth preserving.
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