Jun 17 2009
Jatoba Flooring
Jatoba wood, also known as Brazilian Cherry, is an exotic wood from Brazil that has become the fastest selling, most popular exotic wood for flooring choices today.
Jatoba flooring offers homeowners a flooring choice that is as beautiful if not more so than Oak and twice as hard, making it the perfect choice for families with pets and children who want a hardwood floor that can stand up to the wear of everyday life without showing it.
Color
The coloring of Jatoba flooring from South America is typically a brownish red. This dark, rich color is not how the wood starts out. New Jatoba hardwood tends to range from salmon-red to orange-brown in color.
As the wood ages, the darker, brownish red colors appear. It can have dark black stripes against its strong grain pattern. Floor boards can vary greatly from one to the next and installers should make sure homeowners are aware of this variation.
Jatoba also produces its own natural oils which allow it to maintain its natural luster and shine for years and years.
Strong and Long Lasting
Jatoba/Brazilian Cherry Wood Plank
Hardwood floors are typically chosen based on their strength and durability and Jatoba ranks among the strongest. On the Janka hardness scale it rates a 2820 twice that of Oak wood flooring.
Jatoba’s strength and stability are accredited to the vertical and horizontal structure of the wood. The strength of Jatoba flooring makes it a good choice for areas that receive high traffic.
Another long lasting aspect of Jatoba wood flooring is its resistance to stains. Being stain resistant helps keeps the wood looking beautiful for years without having to be refinished or repaired.
Working with the Wood
Due to its extreme hardness, Jatoba wood is difficult to work with. It causes dulling of cutting blades and is difficult to saw. Carbide cutting tools are better suited for cutting it.
It sands easily and creates a beautiful finish when polished and accepts stains easily, though the natural oils in the wood make water based stains a better choice for adhering to the wood.
Jatoba Flooring
Because Jatoba wood flooring is very strong and stain resistant, it is resistant to dents and scratches from furniture, kids and pets. Prevention and care should still be taken to err on the side of caution; however, the wood will withstand them regardless.
Green Factor
The future of the Earth and its natural resources is dependent on its inhabitants practicing sustainability. Brazil has implemented strict harvesting laws on Jatoba wood. The Guapinol tree that supplies Jatoba lumber has been exploited in the past and now is in danger of becoming extinct.
The possibility of the tree becoming extinct has made it difficult to obtain Jatoba and thus increased many people’s desire to want it. If Jatoba is the desired choice, homeowners should make sure they are purchasing from reputable suppliers who follow the laws of Brazil and practice sustainability techniques.
Another option is to go with engineered Jatoba wood flooring. This flooring uses less wood than solid wood flooring does and saves more trees in the process.
Jatoba wood flooring is exotic wood flooring that works well in residential and commercial applications. It is long lasting with magnificent beauty and a natural shine that is easy to maintain. Choosing Jatoba flooring is choosing a floor for the now and the future.
-Sharon V. Chapman
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