I want the hardest hardwood, What is the best?
Of the domestic species that we carry, Northern Hard Maple flooring is the hardest. Ironwood or Ipe is the hardest exotic hardwood that we carry – 179% harder than oak! However, we do not try to sell on hardness alone. For example, even though Ash, Red Oak and White Oak are all softer species than Maple, they will hide scratches and scuffs more as they are grainy woods. Most hardwoods will stand up quite well in normal applications; however Black Walnut and Black Cherry are quite a bit softer than the rest of the domestic species. Black Walnut and Black Cherry will perform well too, depending on the client’s expectations.
