The Janka (or side) hardness test measures the force required to embed a .444-inch steel ball to half its diameter in wood. It is one of the best measures of the ability of a wood species to withstand denting and wear. By the same token, it is also a good indicator of how hard or easy a species is to saw or nail. Northern red oak, for example, has a Janka hardness rating of 1290. Brazilian cherry, with a rating of 2350, is nearly twice as hard. If you’re accustomed to working with red oak and decide to tackle a job with Brazilian cherry, you can expect it to be much harder to cut and nail.
| Species | Janka Rating |
| Angico Preto (Papperwood) | 3900 |
| Brazilian Ebony | 3692 |
| African Pearwood/Moabi | 3680 |
| Brazilian Walnut (IPE) | 3670 |
| Lapacho | 3640 |
| Southern Chestnut | 3540 |
| Tiete Chestnut | 3540 |
| Cumaru (Teak Brazilian) | 3540 |
| Sucupira | 3540 |
| Strand Woven Bamboo | 3500 |
| Bolivian Cherry (Cerezo) | 3190 |
| Brazilian Redwood | 3190 |
| Caribbean Cherry | 3100 |
| Brazilian Rosewood (Tamarindo) | 3000 |
| Bloodwood | 2900 |
| Massaranduba | 2890 |
| Patagonian Rosewood | 2800 |
| Tiete Rosewood (Guibourtia) | 2800 |
| African Cedar/Bosse | 2600 |
| Brazilian Cherry | 2350 |
| Mesquite | 2345 |
| Caribbean Rosewood | 2300 |
| Acacia (small leaf) | 2200 |
| Santos Mahogany | 2200 |
| Tigerwood | 2160 |
| Sydney Blue/Gum | 2025 |
| African Rosewood/Bubigna | 1980 |
| Merbau | 1925 |
| Amendoim | 1912 |
| Jarrah | 1910 |
| Purpleheart | 1860 |
| Hickory/Pecan | 1820 |
| Bolivian Rosewood/Morado | 1780 |
| Doussie | 1770 |
| African Padauk | 1725 |
| Kempas | 1710 |
| Acacia (big leaf) | 1700 |
| Patens | 1691 |
| Garapa (Grapia) | 1654 |
| Bamboo | 1650 |
| Junckers Beech | 1630 |
| Wenge | 1630 |
| Zebrawood | 1575 |
| Timborana | 1570 |
| Cameron | 1543 |
| African Walnut/Sappelle | 1500 |
| Brazilian Maple | 1500 |
| Tauari (Brazilian Oak) | 1500 |
| Hard Maple | 1450 |
| Caribbean Walnut | 1400 |
| Royal Mahogany | 1400 |
| Horizontal Natural Bamboo | 1380 |
| Australian Cypress | 1375 |
| White Oak | 1360 |
| Vintage Oak | 1325 |
| Ash | 1320 |
| American Beech | 1300 |
| Red Oak (Northern) | 1290 |
| Yellow Birch | 1260 |
| Caribbean Heart Pine | 1240 |
| Heart Pine | 1225 |
| Larch | 1200 |
| Brazilian Eucalyptus | 1125 |
| Peruvian Walnut | 1080 |
| Black Walnut | 1010 |
| Teak | 1000 |
| American Cherry | 950 |
| Black Cherry | 950 |
| Gaboty (Cambara) | 890 |
| Southern Yellow Pine (Longleaf) | 870 |
| South American Lacewood | 840 |
| African Mahogany | 830 |
| Mahogany | 800 |
| Honduran Mahogany | 800 |
| Southern Yellow Pine (Loblolly and Shortleaf) | 690 |
| Douglas Fir | 660 |
| California Redwood | 420 |