We are often questioned about the durability of our end grain flooring. The durability of conventional hardwood flooring is many times judged by its’ hardness, and is evaluated for hardness based on Janka test results. Janka testing is made on wood surfaces parallel to the grain, by measuring the force required to imbed a .444” steel ball into the wood by half its’ diameter. The durability of an end grain surface is tested parallel to the grain, and is much stronger. Compression strength testing is made with a Compress-o-meter, an instrument of force, compressing the ends of a wooden post together into less space, until fracturing.
Our end grain blocks of oak and pine have been used in the industrial sector for many years, in companies such as US Steel, Alcoa, Timken Bearings, and Caterpillar, to name a few. End grain blocks are chosen for many reasons, such as ease of repair and replacement, and for their sound and energy absorbing qualities. End grain blocks are also chosen by industry, and in great measure, because of their resistance to damage from extreme heavy rolling loads. And so, as industrial flooring we define durability of our end grain blocks by their compression strength.