Janka Wood Hardness Scale vs. Glulam Timber Beams
Comparing 2 standards across 14 specifications. 14 key differences identified.
The Janka Wood Hardness Scale is standardized under ASTM D143 (and ISO 3350) by measuring the exact force (in pounds-force / lbf or Newtons) required to embed an 11.28 mm (0.444 in) steel ball to half its diameter into a wood sample, establishing the international benchmark for hardwood flooring and lumber dent resistance.
Structural Glued Laminated Timber (Glulam) under ANSI A190.1 is an engineered heavy timber beam manufactured by face-bonding individual 2x softwood dimensional lumber laminations with structural adhesives. Featuring standardized widths of 3-1/8", 5-1/8", and 6-3/4" and depths in 1.5-inch increments, Glulam beams support spans exceeding 100 feet.
Specification Comparison Table
14 Parameters| Parameter / Spec | ||
|---|---|---|
|
Governing Standards
|
ASTM D143 Section 13 (Hardness Test) / ISO 3350 / USDA Forest Products Laboratory (FPL) | ANSI A190.1 / ASTM D3737 / APA EWS S475 |
|
Test Metric Definition
|
Force in pounds-force (lbf) to embed an 11.28 mm (0.444 in / 100 mm² area) steel ball into wood at 12% moisture content | — |
|
Red Oak Industry Benchmark
|
1,290 lbf (5,740 N) | The universal 100% benchmark standard against which all flooring is compared | — |
|
Softwoods (Pine / Fir / Cedar)
|
Eastern White Pine: 380 lbf | Douglas Fir: 660 lbf | Southern Yellow Pine: 690 lbf | — |
|
Medium Domestic Hardwoods
|
Black Walnut: 1,010 lbf | Black Cherry: 950 lbf | Teak: 1,155 lbf | — |
|
Hard Domestic Standards
|
White Oak: 1,360 lbf | Hard / Sugar Maple: 1,450 lbf | White Ash: 1,320 lbf | — |
|
Ultra-Hard Woods (Hickory / Exotic)
|
Shagbark Hickory: 1,820 lbf | Santos Mahogany: 2,200 lbf | Brazilian Cherry (Jatoba): 2,350 lbf | Ipe: 3,680 lbf | — |
|
Softest vs Hardest Known Woods
|
Balsa: 100 lbf (0.44 kN) vs Australian Buloke: 5,060 lbf (22.5 kN) | — |
|
Western Species Net Widths
|
— | 3-1/8" (79 mm) | 5-1/8" (130 mm) | 6-3/4" (171 mm) | 8-3/4" (222 mm) |
|
Southern Pine Net Widths
|
— | 3-1/2" (89 mm) | 5-1/2" (140 mm) | 7-1/4" (184 mm) | 9-1/4" (235 mm) |
|
Standard Lamination Thickness
|
— | 1.50 inches (38 mm) per lamination |
|
Standard Depths
|
— | Multiples of 1.5" (e.g., 6", 7.5", 9", 10.5", 12", 13.5", 15", 16.5", 18", up to 30+") |
|
Standard Stress Class
|
— | 24F-V4 (2,400 PSI bending stress / 1.8 × 10⁶ PSI MOE) |
|
Appearance Classifications
|
— | Framing (hidden), Industrial, Architectural, Premium (exposed) |