The degree of permanent indentation in wood-frame hardboard doors due to a low energy impact, insufficient to break through the board, can be evaluated on small hardboard samples, e.g. 100 × 40 mm. A corresponding test method for small board samples is proposed. Steel spheres or cones can be used as impact transfer tools on a modified pendulum apparatus. At impact energies below about 1 J, the impact indentation is independent of the impact breaking energy for thin hardboards. Board thickness and density were found to be important factors affecting indentation depth.