The growing popularity of  in-floor RADIANT Heat over the past several years, and the continued desire of most homeowners to have hardwood floors over them, has posed some difficult choices for homeowner as well as those who supply real Hardwood Floors.

The nature of  WOOD is that it continues to be a living, breathing material, long after it is harvested and crafted into its many and varied end uses including Hardwood Flooring.  WOOD is affected by Temperature and Humidity from the first day of installation through all the many years of service and beauty it provides.  These factors, particularly Temperature and Humidity will continue to influence the DIMENSIONAL Stability of  WOOD for its entire serviceable  life which in some instances is hundreds of years.  Shrinking during Dry HEATING  Seasons and expansion during Humid Summer months is a natural factor in the life of a wood floor.

Certain steps and options can be taken, to mitigate these natural forces, and add to the life and servicablity of your Hardwood Floor whether you have in-floor RADIANT Heat or not.  Below are some recommendations for a Hardwood Floor that is more Dimensionally Stable.

Please contact us while in the planning stages of your project if possible for our best suggestions for your Hardwood Floors in general and particularly if you are putting them over Radiant Heat.

Please call REAL HARDWOODTM today!

888-433-4443

Janka Hardness Table

The Janka (or side) hardness test measures the force required to embed a .444 inch steel ball to half its diameter in wood. This is one of the best measures of the ability of wood species to withstand denting and wear. It is also a good indicator of how hard a species is to saw or nail.

The higher the number the harder the wood

Douglas Fir	660
So. Yellow Pine (loblolly & short leaf)	690
So. Yellow Pine (longleaf)	870
Black Cherry	950
Teak	1000
Black Walnut	1010
Heart Pine	1225
Iroko - Kambala	1260
Yellow Birch	1260
Red Oak (Northern)	1290
American Beech	1300
Ash	1320
White Oak	1360
Australian Cypress	1375
Hard maple	1450
Brazilian Maple	1500
Zebrawood	1575
Wenge	1630
Kempas	1710
African Pedauk	1725
Bamboo	1800
Hickory/Pecan	1820
Purpleheart	1860
Jarrah	1910
Merbau	1925
Sydney Blue	2023
Brushbox	2135
Tigerwood	2160
Santos Mahogany	2200
Mesquite	2345
Brazilian Cherry	2350
Spotted Gum	2473
Bloodwood	2900
Tiete Rosewood	3200
Brazilian Teak	3540
Brazilian Walnut /IPE	3620

Smaller number equals greater dimensional stability