How does the hardness of Red Birch compare with other N.American hardwoods such as oak, maple, etc. We have some Red Birch on back order and I am debating wether we would should change to maple to get better long term durability.

Don

Birch is softer than oak or maple. Meaning, on the Janka scale, it takes less PSI to dent Birch than the other two. You also should know that the heavy graining of oaks help them hide dents and such better than some harder woods. Harder woods (hickory and most exotics) are harder but some will show flaws more due to their uniform texture.

So many consumers get confused or rather "oversold" on the idea that the harder the wood is then the "better' it will be. The Janka test quoted and used by the industry tests the amount of pressure required to "press" a metal ball of a standard size until it is halfway "buried" in wood. The resultant pressure reading is then published and used by the industry. Harder woods do not mean the floor will last longer. All hardwood floors will last a lifetime and more with correct maintenance whether its a softer Pine floor or lets say a Brazillian Walnut that can be up to 4 times harder. Of course common sense should tell us not to put a Pine floor in an entrance foyer which has heavy traffic if they do not wanted to end up with many dents/dings! Graining of Oak will tend to hide scratches and dings more so than say Maple which has less grain but is very popular and also harder. Also remember it's not YOUR actual floor pieces they have tested - purely a sample piece of the TYPE of wood. All wood is different even within each box - grain,texture etc. varies from which part of which tree its from. Also generally speaking Northern slow growing woods are "tighter" grained than Southern woods of the same species eg. Oak - the slower reduced growing time in colder climates determines this.

Let's not get carried too far away with hardness of your wood - it only means it will dent a little less BUT all wood dents over time it looks good after all! Buy the wood that suites your lifestyle/home and enjoy it. So Mr. & Mrs. Consumer, please select your floor by its' look and texure & of course color - NOT just by hardness (which can be a little meaningless in some caes)


Art

Nice reply Art! Welcome to the board and don't be a stranger

We are getting on site sand and finish red birch installed. Originally we were planning on putting it in our living room and hallway. We went to see a house where our contractor had installed the clear red birch about 2 years ago. The floor looked nice but I did not like dings and dents in their hallway, a high traffic area. This wood is beautiful but not much character and hence shows blemishes.

We are now installing 500+sf red-birch only in our great-room which is at 2nd floor and not very busy. Downstairs get Santos Mahogany, dark and beautiful, much harder and forgiving.

Thanks for your replies. We liked the look of natural Red Birch in the showroom and were planning to install it on the entire second floor (ie. 4 bedrooms and a hallway). I can dent the sample quite easily with my fingernail - so was wondering if we should upgrade to hard maple or oak instead for durability. Three kids in the house.

Don

Won't the finish have something to do with the denting and marring also Art? Like a Ceramic or Aluminum Oxide vs Urethane?

Not on a janka test.

If I can marr a plain ole urethane finish by rubbing a coin on it and not a ceramic finish, then it must have some effect on the Janka test also. Besides, I'm not certain but I believe there is not a finish on the wood when tested.

So whats the difference what the hardness is? Its the finish thats protecting the wood. Like Art says, hardwood is, well hard.

A popular misconception is that the finish is harder than the wood; which maybe the case when dealing with some softer hardwoods. Also, hardwoods are considered hardwoods because they are deciduou trees, not because they are hard. Ex. Balsa wood is considered a hardwood but not old growth heart pine, which is considered a softwood but double the hardness of balsa. All pines are coniferious and as such, are considered softwoods. The finish doesn't make the wood harder (less prone to denting ei: crushing the cellular structure) but does protect the wood from moisture and dirt. When you rub that coin across the board, you are making an impression in the finish, not the wood. So, the more abrasion resistant the finish (ceramics and the like), the less scraps and scratches that show. Dents are a different matter. Once a wood is subjected to it's maximun PSI limit on the JANKA scale, it will dent. But Art is correct that these numbers are guidelines and not the exact figures for the wood you have in hand.

Ernesto, Gary is absolutely correct. Most woods today have an Aluminum Oxide finish , a couple or so have a "ceramic" finish - all hard. Wood finishes are like painting a door - you can have many coats of a quality paint BUT if you have not sanded or Screeded between them they will show the real colour of the wood below the stain when lightly dented. As a general rule if you slightly dent a well finished piece of wood the stain/finish will not break the surface.
As a general rule keep the "softer" woods away from high traffic areas ( softer being say 1100 p.s.i. approx)
Art

Well - we took a look at the other species of hardwood and finishes tonight and decided to stick with the Lauzon Northern Classics Red Birch with a natural finish. The character of this wood simply blows the others away. Depending on what angle you hold it up to the light, you get different reflections. It is very unique. The maple and oak did not compare.

Note that the finish is titanium oxide - supposedly a bit more durable than aluminum oxide, but I think one would be fooling themselves if they thought the finish would make the underlying wood harder or more dent resistant.

My $.02

Don

I've put in alot of Lauzon. Great floor! Great finish BUT, there are harder finishes. Also, one brands finish maybe harder or softer than another brand's, even though they are the "same" finish (aluminum oxide).The Lauzon will get dented; prepare for it!

Well sounds logical guys. But you have to get through the finish before you dent the wood. Harder finish means less dent damage IMHO. Softer finish equates to more easily dented wood. That sounds more logical.

But then I ain't no expert finisher either.

There is a fallacy in your logic. If the finish were 1/8in thick,you might have a point.