Species guide
Yellow, Sweet, and Silver Birch: what the numbers tell you.
Yellow, Sweet, and Silver Birch are not the same wood.
Direct answer
NWFA lists different Janka numbers for three birch types. Sweet/Red Birch is 1470. Yellow Birch is 1260. Silver/European Birch is 1210. Use the exact species name when you compare wood.
See the wood, then read the numbers
A photo can show character. It cannot prove the species.
Use the measured record below to compare the named wood. Then compare real samples in the room where the floor will live.
How to read these figures
The source keeps the birch types separate. So should a homeowner. It cannot promise how a particular birch floor will sand or take stain.
Sources & methodology Peer-reviewed measurements and study context
These figures come from clear-wood laboratory data in the cited peer-reviewed study. They help you compare species; your own floor’s construction, finish history, and condition still matter.
| Metric | Reported value | Context |
|---|---|---|
| Yellow Birch NWFA Janka value | 1260 | Specific to *Betula alleghaniensis* in the NWFA article. |
| Sweet/Red Birch NWFA Janka value | 1470 | Specific to *Betula lenta* in the NWFA article. |
| Silver/European Birch NWFA Janka value | 1210 | Specific to *Betula pendula* in the NWFA article. |
| Tangential shrinkage from green to oven dry | 9.5% Yellow / 9.0% Sweet-Red / 8.6% Silver-European | NWFA figures; do not convert them into a project movement estimate. |
Reviewed October 6, 2026. The paper measures clear wood in a lab. At your visit, we look at the real floor, room, and project plan.