What is the Most Durable hardwood Flooring?

February 28, 2025

Overhead view of a living room with glass patio doors and furnishings featuring Dundee oak hardwood flooring

Durability is one of the most important factors when choosing hardwood flooring. Selecting the right durable hardwood flooring type can save you time and money in the long run.

But with so many hardwood flooring options available, how do you know which is most durable? The answer depends on the wood species, construction type, and finish. This guide will explain everything you need to know about finding your home’s most durable hardwood flooring.

What Makes Hardwood Flooring Durable?

Durability is one of the most significant factors when investing in hardwood flooring. The right choice can withstand years of foot traffic, spills, and furniture movement while maintaining its beauty. But what exactly makes hardwood flooring durable?

Durability in hardwood flooring comes down to these factors:

Wood Species

The Janka rating measures a wood’s hardness and resistance to dents and wear. The higher the Janka rating, the more durable the wood. For example, harder woods like hickory (1820 rating) and white oak (1360 rating) are more wear-and-tear resistant. Conversely, softer woods like yellow pine (870) or black walnut (1,010) will scratch and dent more readily.

Solid vs. Engineered Hardwood Floors

Selecting between solid and engineered hardwood floors can significantly impact the durability and longevity of your flooring. Both provide the timeless beauty of real wood. However, their structural differences determine how well they withstand environmental conditions and daily wear.

Solid hardwood floors consist of a single piece of real wood. They offer excellent longevity because they can be sanded and refinished multiple times.
Engineered hardwood floors consist of a thin top layer of real wood over a plywood or high-density fiberboard core. They are more stable and water resistant, making them a great choice for moisture-prone areas.

Finish and Protective Coating

The finish on hardwood flooring plays a significant role in its durability. A strong protective coating can prevent scratches, dents, and moisture damage, extending the lifespan of your floors.

Different types of finishes offer varying levels of protection. So, choosing the right one is essential for maintaining your hardwood’s appearance over time.

Prefinished hardwood comes with a factory-applied finish, typically aluminum oxide, that is highly durable and scratch-resistant.
Site-finished hardwood adds the finish after installation. The upside is that you can customize the flooring. The downside is that it often requires more maintenance.

5 of the Most Durable Hardwood Species

We mentioned Janka’s rating. Choosing a hardwood species with a high Janka rating is essential when you want the most durable wood flooring option.

These are some of your best options for high-traffic areas in your home:

1. Hickory

Janking Rating: 1,820

Hickory is one of the hardest domestic hardwoods, making it ideal for high-traffic areas. Hickory flooring is highly resistant to scratches and dents, making it a great choice for homes with pets and children. This option is also tough to beat from a personality standpoint, as its grain and color are unique.

Kitchen area with chairs and side table featuring hickory hardwood flooring

2. White Oak

Janka Rating: 1,360

White oak is one of the most popular choices for solid wood flooring. The wood is naturally water resistant and highly durable, making it a great option for kitchens, living rooms, and hallways.

3. Maple

Janka Rating: 1,450

Maple flooring is another durable option. Because of its hardness, it is popular for basketball courts. It resists wear and tear and has a clean, uniform grain pattern, making it a stylish option for modern homes.

4. Red Oak

Janka Rating: 1,290

Red oak is slightly softer than white oak but still provides excellent durability. It has a warm, natural look and is one of the easiest woods to refinish.

5. Exotic Hardwoods

Exotic hardwoods like Brazilian Cherry and Santos Mahogany often have higher Janka ratings. For example, Brazilian Cherry has a 2,350 rating. These hardwoods offer extreme durability but are generally more expensive and harder to install.

Solid vs. Engineered Hardwood: Which Lasts Longer?

There is an ongoing debate about the performance of solid hardwood and engineered hardwood floors. Each option has advantages depending on your lifestyle, location, and maintenance habits. Understanding their differences can help you make the best choice for your home.

Both solid hardwood floors and engineered hardwood floors offer durability, but each has its strengths:

Solid hardwood flooring lasts longer because you can refinish it multiple times, making it a great long-term investment. For instance, you can typically restore solid wood floors at least five times. As a result, you can expect solid wood floors to last 100 years or more.
Engineered wood floors are better for areas with humidity changes. They resist warping and expansion better than solid wood. However, owing to their thin wood veneer, you can only sand and refinish twice or thrice. That reduces their lifespan to up to 50 years, depending on the thickness of their top layer.

If durability is your top priority, use solid hardwood in low-moisture areas. Engineered hardwood is the better bet in rooms with higher humidity.

Scratch & Dent Resistance: What Holds Up Best?

If you have pets, kids, or heavy furniture, scratch resistance is a major factor when selecting hardwood flooring. Some hardwoods naturally withstand dents and scuffs better than others. Choosing the right species and finish can keep your floors looking pristine for years to come.

Some hardwoods are naturally more scratch-resistant than others. Here’s what to consider:

Tight-grain woods, like maple and hickory, resist scratches better than open-grain woods, like oak.
Matte or satin finishes show fewer scratches compared to high-gloss finishes.
Aluminum oxide coatings provide extra protection against wear and tear.

If you have pets, choose a durable wood flooring option like hickory or white oak with a strong protective finish. You can also look to specialty flooring like Dogwood® densified wood flooring from Bruce®. It has 4x the scratch resistance and 6x the dent resistance of standard hardwoods.

Living room area with a dog lying on the floor and a close up of Dogwood densified wood flooring

Moisture Resistance: Which Hardwood Can Handle Spills?

Hardwood floors and moisture don’t always mix well, but some options perform better than others in humid or spill-prone environments.

Engineered hardwood floors perform better in humid environments and over concrete subfloors.
White oak and teak naturally resist water better than softer woods.
Prefinished hardwood with strong sealants offers better moisture protection than site-finished wood.

Consider wood-look alternatives like luxury vinyl tile (LVT) or rigid core flooring for maximum water resistance. Indeed, these options are often waterproof and perfect in bathrooms and basements.

America is Built on Bruce® Floors

Depending on your home’s needs, you can choose the most durable hardwood flooring. White oak or hickory are excellent choices for long-lasting solid wood flooring.

Engineered hardwood floors are a better fit for moisture resistance. The key is to choose the right mix of wood types, finishes, and care.

Bruce offers nearly 400 solid and engineered hardwood flooring options. They also provide a variety of wood-look flooring, ideal for areas where water and scratches are a paramount concern.

Find a Bruce retailer near you.