Red Oak is slightly softer with a rating of 1290. And American or Black Walnut is among the softest hardwoods with a Janka rating of 1010. Harder woods like White Oak will be more resistant to dents, dings, and scratches while softer woods like Walnut will tend to show wear more easily.
Walnut is rated at a 1010 on the Janka Hardness Scale. European Oak is a 1360 on the same scale. This means that Oak is more durable than Walnut and will stand up better against constant use and daily wear and tear.
Walnut floors usually are softer than oak, as they have a wider grain. However, there are variations in different types of oak and walnut, so it is worth looking at the hardness of the specific variety you are considering.
Hardness and Grain
On the Janka hardness scale -- a scale that ranks wood for hardness, hickory is the hardest of all domestic hardwoods, ranking at 1,820. Hard maple ranks 1,450, while red oak ranks 1,290.
Walnut wood is a hardwood that is valued for the grain, colour and strength. You can guarantee a smooth finish.
The Janka hardness test that ranks the hardness of woods gives cherry a rating of 950, which is a little less than walnut. Walnut wood has a Janka hardness rating of 1010, pulling it out in front of cherry as the stronger wood of the two.
Walnut wood is hard, heavy, and resilient, capable of resisting warping and suffering very little shrinkage. The grain is irregular but typically straight with a medium texture. The endgrain is semi-porous with distinct growth rings. Although susceptible to insects, English Walnut is quite resistant to decay.
Walnut is a softer wood than Maple. The benefit of this is that a knife will be much less likely to dull when using this wood, but there is a tradeoff since the softer wood is easier to scratch or dent. Its medium to large pores offer some resistance to bacteria and moisture but not as much as Maple.
Walnut stands at 1010 on the Janka hardness scale, making it one of the softest North American flooring species.
The amount of force it takes to embed the ball into the wood is the hardness of the wood. What is this? When yellow birch was tested it was able to withstand 1,260 pounds of force, giving it a 1,260 Janka rating. While North American Walnut measures around 1,010 making birch stronger than walnut wood (Janka Hardness).
Hickory is among the hardest domestic hardwoods with a Janka rating of 1820, while American or Black Walnut is among the softest with a rating of 1010.
Cellulose, the stuff Ma Nature makes her wood with, is heavier than water. The actual wood cells are filled with water and then, after drying, air. The balance of air/water and cellulose determines the weight of the wood. Of course, life ain't all that simple.
Generally acknowledged as the hardest wood, lignum vitae (Guaiacum sanctum and Guaiacum officinale) measures in at 4,500 pounds-force (lbf) on the Janka scale.
White Oak is one of the harder woods, with a Janka rating of 1360. Red Oak is slightly softer with a rating of 1290. And American or Black Walnut is among the softest hardwoods with a Janka rating of 1010.
Oak is slightly less hard – White Oak has a 1360 rating and Red Oak a 1290 rating. Both Red and White Oak are considered to be strong and highly resistant to scratches and dents.
Walnut is not even remotely a "really hard wood" - it cuts quite easily.
Pros: Walnut is a very strong and stable wood that can take intricate carving. The color can be beautiful. Cons: Some may not like the variation from dark to light that's sometimes found on a single wide board. Walnut is also one of the more costly woods.
Most types of Walnut firewood burn easily and cleanly if the wood has been seasoned for between one and two years. There is very little smoke put out, so to speak. Green Walnut, on the other hand, produces clouds of thick and harmful smoke. Green Walnut should never be burned inside in large amounts (kindling is fine).
In fact, it's the only dark wood native to North America. However, it's actually only the center of the tree which bears the deep hues. This is called the heartwood, and it may also have lighter browns, purples, grays, or reddish tints.
Red oak is a medium Janka hardwood, which means that while it won't scratch easily, it can dent more easily than harder varieties. If you're looking for a durable wood that can stand up to heavy use, you should consider a harder option, like white oak or hickory.
Hardness. On a scale of 1 to 10 -- with 10 the hardest -- oak ranks about a 9, just below maple and birch. Cherry is much softer, with a rank of about 6. This means that cherry is also lighter than oak and is easier to mill and cut with a table saw.
Here's a short list of wood species that tend to play well together in designs: walnut and maple. white oak and walnut.