Friction stir welding (FSW) was applied to equal channel angular (ECA) pressed aluminum (Al) alloys with high strength and toughness, and the effect of FSW on microstructure and the hardness profile in ECA-pressed alloys was examined. In the weld of ECA-pressed Al alloy 1050 and 5083, the stir zone had roughly the same hardness as the ECA-pressed material, while the hardness was slightly reduced in the thermo-mechanically affected zone (TMAZ). The reduction of hardness in the TMAZ was due to dynamic recovery of dislocation cells of the ECA-pressed material. The addition of Zr to Al suppressed the reduction of hardness in the TMAZ. Consequently, friction stir (FS) weld of Al-Zr alloy retained the hardness of the ECA-pressed material throughout the weld.