Exotic Wood Flooring » Brazilian Cherry

Brazilian Cherry Tread

Jennifer — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 14:07:36 +0000

For many years, the popularity of wood flooring has been on the rise. In recent years, the addition of exotic woods to the flooring choices has helped increase that popularity. One such exotic wood is Brazilian Cherry tread.

Also known as Jatoba, Brazilian Cherry Tread is unlike other traditional hardwoods, it is a richer, darker color with more knots and swirls than many of the native hardwoods.

Brazilian Cherry Tread is much harder and sturdier than most other woods, outranking Oak in hardness on the Janka Scale by more than two to one. In addition to the hardness that is making it popular is that it is sustainably harvested, a technique that is making it a favorite among people who are trying to save the environment and its natural resources.

Coloring and Appearance

The magnificent coloring and elaborate grain are the main contributing factors that lend to it being a top choice for exotic hardwood flooring. With colors ranging from deep rich oranges to vibrant, reddish-browns complemented by a variety of patterns in the grain, from straight to flowing, Brazilian Cherry Tread is a stunning floor choice.

Jatoba/Brazilian Cherry Wood Plank

Over time the coloring of Brazilian Cherry Tread grows deeper and darker, making the wood even more beautiful and rich.

Beautiful and Strong

Many people think of Oak flooring when they want a strong wood floor. However, with the influx of exotic wood floorings, the options are more varied than ever with even stronger flooring available.

Brazilian Cherry Tread has a Janka Hardness rating that is twice that of Oak and many other native flooring species. This makes the flooring resistant to dents, scratches and other mars.

Brazilian Cherry Tread is an ideal choice for heavy traffic areas, both commercial and residential. Large shopping areas and hospital foyers benefit from its hardness due to the large amount of traffic these areas see.

There is a negative side to a wood that is this strong. It is difficult to install and must be done by a professional. If it is not installed correctly, the density of the wood can cause it to shift and move over time.

Eco Friendly

Brazilian Cherry Tread is considered an eco-friendly or “green” resource. This means that it is harvested using sustainable techniques. Brazil has strict laws in place to prevent over-harvesting.

Installers and homeowners should insist on seeing the certification on any Brazilian Cherry Tread they are purchasing. The wood should have a LEED rating clearly designating it as a sustainable, eco-friendly product.

Cleaning

Preventative steps are not a complete necessity due to the hardness factor of the wood. However, many people tend to use the preventative steps to insure that nothing damages the floor.

Floor mats, rugs, and furniture protectors to prevent furniture from scraping against the floor are all good steps to avoid any damage from occurring.

Clean the floors using commercial cleaning supplies recommended by the manufacturer or using a mixture of water and Windex. Make sure to remove excess water from the floor when mopping.

Brazilian Cherry Tread flooring will bring beauty to the home for many generations. It is strong and sturdy with an inherent beauty that works for many décors.

-Sharon V. Chapman

Brazilian Cherry Hardwood flooring has been a popular choice for homeowners for...
Brazilian Cherry Flooring Brazilian Cherry flooring is among the strongest wood flooring options...

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.

Jatoba Flooring

Jennifer — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 14:01:14 +0000

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

No related posts.

Brazilian Cherry Flooring

Jennifer — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 10:40:27 +0000

Brazilian Cherry flooring is among the strongest wood flooring options available. Some wood experts say it is the strongest known wood available worldwide. This type of durability along with the beauty of Brazilian Cherry flooring makes it a popular choice in flooring for many homeowners.

In the past homeowners looking for flooring options have turned to the classics like Oak and Cedar. Today, as more exotic woods are available, the popularity of the Brazilian Cherry is flourishing.

Durability

Next to aesthetic appearance, homeowners deciding on wood flooring are looking for an option that will last a long time. Flooring is an investment that shouldn’t have to be replaced every few years. Hardwood flooring is such an option and Brazilian Cherry flooring pushes the envelope in terms of durability.

On the Janka Hardness scale, Brazilian Cherry rates a 2350, nearly twice that of Oak. Brazilian Cherry’s hardness and durability are what make it bridge and dock constructors choose it. If Brazilian Cherry is strong enough for a dock, imagine how long it will last as a floor.

Brazilian Cherry Wood Plank

Brazilian Cherry flooring’s strength and durability make it ideally suited for applications involving heavy foot traffic, such as commercial shopping centers or hospitals lobbies.

In addition to being durable, Brazilian Cherry flooring is also resistant to stains. This makes the wood even more inviting as a flooring option. Homeowners don’t have to stress over spills or accidents as they won’t damage the floor.

Brazilian Cherry Flooring Color

Brazilian Cherry flooring can range in color from deep burgundy to deep red or orange. Often it can be found with dark black stripes running through it highlighting the grain. Tonal variations in color can run from one piece of flooring to the next making interesting color patterns.

The coloring of the Brazilian Cherry flooring will deepen over time, as the wood ages. This is why it is recommended that any mats or rugs covering areas of the floor be rotated to allow all of the flooring to age consistently.

Brazilian Cherry wood has a natural gloss to it due to naturally occurring oils in the wood. This also helps the wood to polish into a nice luster.

Selecting Brazilian Cherry Flooring

Brazilian Cherry flooring goes well with any home or decor. However, to be certain that the flooring meets expectations, it is important to consider the various shades, geometric patterns, and grain tones before deciding to purchase.

Installing

Brazilian Cherry flooring can be difficult to work with and a professional installer should be consulted if there are any hesitancies concerning the installation.

The wood is difficult to saw and plane and requires pre-drilling for any screws or nails that are going to be used. When cutting is required, carbide-tipped cutting tools should be used. Gluing with waterproof glue is the recommended application method.

Brazilian Cherry flooring is an excellent choice for families with children as it is durable enough to withstand hours of play without being damage; it is also elegant enough to floor a formal dining room. Strength, beauty and durability all lend to the popularity of Brazilian Cherry flooring.

-Sharon V. Chapman

Brazilian Cherry Hardwood Flooring New homebuilding projects and home renovations projects both offer the...
Brazilian Cherry Tread For many years, the popularity of wood flooring has been...
Jatoba Flooring Jatoba wood, also known as Brazilian Cherry, is an exotic...

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.

Brazilian Cherry Hardwood Flooring

Jennifer — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 10:28:30 +0000

New homebuilding projects and home renovations projects both offer the homeowner the opportunity to install hardwood floors. Recently, Brazilian Cherry hardwood floors have seen an increase in popularity.

In addition to bring added value to the home, Brazilian Cherry floors bring a classic beauty and elegance to any room. The open grain is similar to that of Oak with dark streaks on deep red to orange background. Overtime the Brazilian Cherry wood will deepen to a darker cherry color.

Strong and Beautiful

Brazilian Cherry hardwood floorings popularity is no accident. These floors have two characteristics most people look for in a wood floor – durability and beauty.

The durability of Brazilian Cherry is evident in its hardness. On the Janka Hardness scale it rates a 2820 – compared to a 1260 for Red Oak. Brazilian Cherry hardwood owes its strength to the stability of its horizontal and vertical structure.

The beauty of Brazilian Cherry is evident at first glance and continues to improve as time goes by. The beginning colors range from a tan to a salmon color. As time goes by, the wood deepens to a rich reddish brown.

Brazilian Cherry Wood Plank

In addition to rich, dramatic colors, Brazilian Cherry also has a natural shine and luster. This is due to the fact that it produces its own natural oils. This exotic hardwood will hold its shine and elegance for many years.

Applications

Because of its strength, beauty and durability, Brazilian Cherry hardwood has many applications. The strength alone makes it an ideal medium for high traffic areas such as malls. Inside the home, there is no fear of scratching or marring from everyday normal use. This eliminates the need for covering the beauty of the floor with rugs and mats.

The beauty of Brazilian Cherry hardwood flooring lends itself well to more formal, elegant settings such as upscale restaurants or formal dining rooms in the home.

Workability

Working with Brazilian Cherry hardwood flooring is a little difficult due to the extreme hardness of the material. This hardness has a definite blunting effect on tools and the use of carbide-tipped tools for cutting.

Nails can be used for attaching Brazilian Cherry hardwood flooring if the holes are pre-bored and insertion is at an angel. Gluing is the recommended method of installation using waterproof PVA glue.

The Green Factor

As with other exotic woods, Brazilian Cherry wood flooring should come from a dealer who can authenticate that it is indeed being harvested on farms that practice sustainability techniques.

The Brazilian government has become very aware of the dangers of losing their Brazilian Cherry trees and has implemented strict rules governing the logging of Brazilian Cherry hardwood. Reputable logging companies will harvest older, weaker trees first.

Floors made with Brazilian Cherry hardwood are an elegant addition to any home. Their strength and durability combined with their timeless beauty that improves with age make them one of the most popular exotic flooring choices today.

-Sharon V Chapman

Brazilian Cherry Flooring Brazilian Cherry flooring is among the strongest wood flooring options...

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.