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Cherry Hardwood Flooring
Select your cherry flooring carefully because some cherry woods are a softer than others. Selecting the right wood, possibly Brazilian or Bolivian hardwood cherry flooring, you will enjoy its unique grain and deep color for years to come.
George Washington is rumored to have cut down his father's cherry tree. Could he have been looking for a unque flooring for his childhood clubhouse? Cherry hardwood flooring is a great flooring option because of its rich and unusual color, but it's only a myth he chopped the tree down. As the name suggests, cherry flooring comes from the cherry tree, prunus species, a subset of the rose family. Its wood has been used in furniture making since 400 BC.
Cherry wood's color varies from a rich red to a reddish brown and its color darkens with age due to oxidation. When used for flooring cherry provides you with a satiny, smooth texture that adds warmth and character to any home.
Some of the advantages of using cherry for your home's flooring are:
* Produces and excellent smooth finish
* It is readily available as an unfinished or prefinished flooring material
* Easy to clean and maintain
However, as with all wood flooring, cherry flooring has its disadvantages too and these include:
* Fading
* Easily scratched by dirt and grit
* Damaged by excess moisture
Cherry trees are grown worldwide, although not all are used for flooring material. Brazilian cherry is by far the most popular hardwood flooring used, but Asian and Bolivian cherry is also used. Cherry hardwood is easy to machine, glues and nails well, and produces a smooth finish when sanded. Cherry wood also dries quite quickly after milling, but has a high shrinkage rate unless its kiln dried.
Cherry hardwood flooring has different Janka ratings with American Cherry hardwood being the softest with a rating of only 950. The Janka rating of other cherry woods is Brazilian cherry - 2820, African cherry - 1010, and Bolivian cherry - 3190.
Cherry flooring has been used for many years in the construction industry. The flowering version that has bseene made famous by Washington D.C.'s Cherry Blossom Fetival was introduced to America in 1900 as a gift from Japan. American cherry wood is softer than other cherry woods, so it's not as popular for flooring. Brazilian, or Jatoba, cherry is an imported exotic hardwood and is very popular.
Using cherry hardwood for your floors will give you and excellent smooth finish that is durable and adds warmth to any room. Brazilian cherry hardwood flooring has an open-grained appearance similar to that of oak but is twice as hard. An interesting feature of cherry hardwood flooring is the dark brown or black streaks that contrast with its background, ranging from dark orange to reddish brown. Note however, that Brazilian cherry hardwood flooring darkens after several months so should be taken into account when considering it for flooring. Cherry hardwood flooring is readily available and is one of the most commonly used hardwoods in America.
Brazilian cherry hardwood flooring is available in pre-finished or unfinished, and in thicknesses ranging from 3/8" to 3/4”.
As with other wood floors, cherry has the advantage of being easy to clean and maintain. Unlike carpeting, hardwood flooring does not collect dust readily, so a dust mop is ideal for daily cleaning and damp mopping your cherry floor will remove dirt and grime. Wet mopping of wooden floors is not advisable and can lead to warping. Always ensure that you use a damp mop and your cherry hardwood floors will retain their shine, luster, and appeal.
By not taking care of your cherry flooring you will see a lose of shine and luster. When exposed to strong, direct sunlight tends to bleach out, losing its coloring. Filtering the light through a window film or window coverings can help to prevent this. Dirt and grit can act like sandpaper, scratching the finish and eventually the wood. Placing rugs and mats at doorways helps reduce this problem. Spills can damage the finish and even warp the wood, if not wiped up quickly. Because of wood's natural tendency to absorb moisture, it is often recommended to avoid placing cherry flooring in kitchens, bathrooms, or laundry areas.
Bolivian cherry hardwood flooring can have provide some challenges. When sanding this wood, the dust can cause allergic reactions, such as contact dermatitis and respiratory allergies. Oil finishes do not dry properly, making water-based finishes a better choice.
When considering flooring options for your home or office, cherry hardwood flooring is an interesting option, not only will it add warmth and elegance but also it will also increase your resale value. Since you can readily buy it from hardwood specialty stores, you won't have to chop your own cherry tree to have a beautiful, unique-looking floor.
Comments
is it true that cherrywood furniture gets darker over time? Over what timeframe?
Vikki Roberts-Harry at May 7, 2008 01:59 AM
If you read all of the comments in this thread you'll see several testimonials to that fact. The time frame depends on the sun's intensity of where you live and how much sun comes into your home. I'm guessing you'll notice it pretty quickly though, based on how quickly I noticed the bleaching of both my cork and bamboo floors.
The Flooring Lady at May 8, 2008 02:00 PM
I noticed that since using vinegar and water on my Brazillian hardwood floors that were installed in March 2008 footprints were noticeable on my floors. I found this on the following website, but have not tried it yet. Has anyone out there tried windex on their Brazillian Hardwood?
Gorete at May 31, 2008 06:22 AM
Personally I don't use Windex for anything -- I hate the smell. Are you making your vinegar solution at the right dilution? Are you buffing your floor after damp mopping it?
When I had too strong a vinegar solution and didn't buff my floors afterward I too had the problem you are describing. I don't any more; I weakened my solution (15:1 water:vinegar) and do a quick buff and have beautiful floors.
Anonymous at May 31, 2008 07:18 AM
We recently purchased a house with a 2 year old Brazilian Redwood back porch. It has been exposed to some weather and is grey. What can we do to renew the wood?
Lisa Nutter at July 17, 2008 12:32 PM
Hi Lisa,
You can try power-washing your deck, or better yet, sand it. After it dries, stain it. Ask around at your local hardware or home improvement store - they'll be able to steer you to the right products.
I did run across something that sounds good - Messmers Wood and Deck Cleaners/Brighteners- Messmer's Wood and Deck Cleaner and Brightener (Part A and B) powder concentrates are specially formulated to clean and brighten exterior wood decks, fences, log homes, and other exterior wood projects.
And they also have Messmers UV Plus for Hardwoods and IPE Messmer's UV Plus for Hardwood Decks is a premium natural wood finish which protects and beautifies exterior wood decks and other wood projects. For dense exotic hardwoods like Ipe, Mahogany, Brazilian Redwood, Massaranduba, Meranti, Pau Lupe, and Teak
I can't vouch for the products personally, but I've been reading some good things that others have said.
The Flooring Lady at July 18, 2008 11:23 PM
Lisa, I found StainSolver on this site and have used it for just this project. I washed the deck with a solution of Stain Solver and scrubbed it with a brush. Then I rinsed and redid areas that weren't as clean as I wanted. When I had it finished I let it dry thoroughly before sealing it. I personally like the look of natural wood so didn't stain it, but my neighbors stained their deck as they sealed it. The deck looks great!
Anonymous at July 19, 2008 09:25 AM
Thank you for your input! Yes, I too think that StainSolver is a wonderful product, and have recommended many times. Lisa, you may want to try this product first as it's environmentally friendly as well as *just* being a product that usually does very well for this type of job.
The Flooring Lady at July 19, 2008 11:17 PM
After you clean floors with vinegar and water some articles mention to follow up with a final follow up polish. What type of polish should I use on the cherry hardwood.
Bill S. at August 10, 2008 10:14 AM
Hi Bill,
I think that what you're referring to is when it is meant to use a dry microfiber mop to 'polish' the floor, sort of like a light buffing....... to shine it up a bit.
You're floor shouldn't need a real polish after cleaning - unless it's at the point to where it really does! You don't have to apply polish every time you mop - that'd be a real pain if you mop your floors once or twice a week! ;~)
The Flooring Lady at August 10, 2008 12:30 PM
