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Exotic Hardwood Floors

Hardwood floors make a statement about the people who installed them, and exotic hardwood floors make even more of a statement because of their beauty are rarity. Not only is exotic wood flooring rare and beautiful, but it also tends to be among the hardest known woods.

The term "exotic" is used to describe anything that is unusual or foreign. When used in context with hard flooring it would mean flooring that is made of an unusual species of hardwood, which may not be available readily or locally.

Exotic hardwood species tend to not found in North America. Instead they are imported from Australia, Brazil, Africa and the Far East. But what is it that makes exotic hardwood flooring so desirable for a home? Well, as unusual as it may sound, the hard wood that is obtained for the exotic category may not only differ according to their species but also may differ from tree to tree belonging to the same species. They have earned the reputation of being exotic because of their distinct color tones, wood grains and textures. Exotic hardwood can be imported in the form of solid wood planks or engineered wood construction.

What makes more and more people choose exotic hardwood flooring over the other forms of flooring available in the market is:

Their beauty and uniqueness.

Their versatility to be used in any form of home décor.

Easy maintenance

Durability - they are an investment for the lifetime.

However let's not be oblivious to the demerits of using exotic hardwood flooring: -

The "hard to get" aspect makes them an expensive commodity.

Restricted usage in moisture prone areas such as bathrooms and laundries.

Obtaining a bulk supply of the same colored or grained wood for large construction projects can be a problem.

So how are exotic hardwood floors made? Trained wood personnel first sort out the exotic hardwood boards according to their colors, grains and natural characteristics. They are then placed outdoors to allow the moisture content in them to dry down to the ideal levels. Subsequently they are placed in rooms with computerized driers. Once the moisture content is reduced, as per the requirement, the boards are then taken to the factories for processing and finishing.

The methods used for the installation of exotic hardwood floors are

nailing

gluing

floating

Before installing exotic hardwoods, the sub-floors must be adequately prepared and leveled. Most of the exotic hardwoods are recommended for above grade installation because of their tendency to absorb moisture.

Some of the most exotic species of hardwood are Brazilian maple (2345), Brazilian mahogany (3840), Brazilian ebony (3692), Tiete chestnut (3540) -- also known as Almendrillo, Brazilian cherry (2350) and Brazilian walnut (3680). Since all these species belong to the hard wood category they are rated on the top in the Hardness Table. This hardness table is constructed with the help of Janka Force test in which a .444 inch steel ball is embedded to half its diameter in the wood and the force that is applied to do so determines how hard the wood is. The harder the wood the more force will be required to drive the steel ball into it.

Between 1700 and 1800 a lot of hardwood trees became threatened with extinction due to vast expanses of southern and eastern lands being cleared. The chestnut tree is an example. The woods from these trees have been reclaimed from buildings constructed then and many have been made available to us today as flooring.

Affordability is certainly not the hallmark of exotic hardwood flooring. Since most of the exotic woods have to be shipped from various parts of the worlds, this makes them quite pricey. Moreover the lack of uniformity in the colors and grains of exotic hardwood makes them difficult to be used for larger construction projects, especially when try to obtain bulk loads of the exact same grain or color. Exotic hardwood flooring is not recommended for below-grade installation because of its inability to withstand excess moisture conditions. Special care is also needed wet rooms, such as laundries and bathrooms, and all spills should be cleaned immediately to prevent damage to your floor.

Technological development and innovations have however made exotic flooring the most "sought after". Exotic hardwood flooring blends well both with the conventional as well as modern decoration, and inventions have now made it possible for them to be used even in high traffic areas such as the halls, kitchens, bathrooms etc. Owing to their high-grade finishes most of these floors need very little maintenance and have proved their durability for endless years. It is always important to follow the manufacturer's guidelines when cleaning your exotic wooden floor as different woods have different cleaning procedures.

Exotic hardwood flooring shows an upward trend in the today's market and is undoubtedly an interesting option for those that believe in lifelong beauty. Are you looking for something unusual and rare for your floor? Explore the numerous options of exotic woods to see if there's something that fits your style and budget.

Comments

Hi, We have a beautiful light floor (almost as light as maple unfinished, has honeyed over time) upstairs in our master bedroom, that was sold to us as "blond mahagony" and was unfinished, solid 3/4" x 3 1/2". It was very hard (I installed it myself). It was a clearance special and the store has since long ago run out of it. - Is there a wood called 'blonde mahagony', or was this just an informal name used by the store? Kind regards.

Pete at November 3, 2008 12:05 PM

Hi Pete,
"Blond mahogany" was most likely a type of wood carried by a specific manufacturer in a specific line. It could also be congona, A good substiute for South American mahogany and generally runs about half the price. I've seen lots of flooring manufacturers offer 'blonde mahogany', but whether it's truly mahogany or congona I don't know for sure. You can always do a search (like at google.com) using the words "blond mahogany" and hardwood flooring. There's lots of hits to sift thru, but I'm sure you'll find some.

The Flooring Lady at November 4, 2008 4:28 PM

Does it make sense to put hardwood floors upstairs? Will it make more noise douwnstairs?

Deana at April 17, 2009 5:50 PM

Hi Deanna,
Yes, it makes sense to put hardwood floors upstairs if that's what you want. Assuming that you plan to install it over an existing floor or plywood, I would suggest using an underlayment of cork tile (or something else) to help to muffle noise.

The Flooring Lady at April 20, 2009 11:55 AM

I have just put down dmb exotic wood flooring over concrete Due to the fact that i live in the country i would like to put a sealant on the floor for added protection. i know this will void any warranty but It will be sooo hard to keep sand out of the seam of the hardwood. Do You know of a thick stong sealant to stand up against several grandkids, dog, cat, and husband. thanks MC

mc at May 1, 2009 8:46 PM

Hi Me,
What kind of a finish is already on it (factory finish). If you're not sure, contact the manufacturer to find out - they should also have suggestions as to what can be put on it. It is possible that you don't need anything on it - some of the flooring out there is very durable.

The Flooring Lady at May 3, 2009 12:41 AM

My exotic wood flooring, installed less than a year ago, is a mess. It has so many stains from cleaning it, and the more I clean it, the worse it gets. There are rings and streaks everywhere. Is there any hope for some type of repair?
Thanks,

kathy at May 30, 2009 11:28 AM

Hi Kathy,
Some more information would be helpful. What product(s) have you used on your flooring? What kind of a finish does it have now?

The Flooring Lady at June 1, 2009 9:11 AM

Hi we have installed a beautiful engineered African Walnut floor in our great room and it is supposed to eventually continue on into the kitchen. I have noticed alot of scratches in the floor and now I am nervous to put this same floor in my new kitchen. Isnt African walnut a hard wood? Did I make a bad choice? Can I put some sort of tough seal coat on it to help with durability? It is an engineered, ez lock, floating floor, Jasson designs by Dasso flooring

BRS at June 21, 2009 4:11 PM

Hi BRS,

African Walnut, also called Sapelle, has a Janka rating of 1500. That's harder than oaks, bamboo and hard maple. So yes, it's a hard wood. And, as my flooring people tell me about my bamboo floors, any wood can scratch or dent. My question is what caused the scratches?

To find out about putting an additional sealant on top of the already sealed flooring you need to call the manufacturer. The floor sealant I highly recommend is Varathane's Diamond Coat Polyurethane, if the manufacturer says you can add another sealant. I like it because it's water based so won't yellow, it applies like water and dries quickly and like diamonds -- hard.

The Flooring Lady at June 22, 2009 3:50 PM

Dear TFL,

I have been looking for flooring for my kitchen and living room for a couple months. At first we liked Birch, then teak, then IPE, then Sucapira (sp?) and now my wife likes Brailian Ebony. We have received several samples from different vendors and it seems as if now of the colors or grains match. So I have 2 questions for you. 1. Besides common and select grades, are there others grades. Some have claimed to have a clear grade. 2. We are looking for a darker wood that has a very slight gold undertone and no red undertone. Can you recommend one?

Thanks

Confused at October 20, 2009 12:24 PM

Confused,

I think receiving the samples from the vendors is going to be the best way to determine the color and undertones you are looking for. I'm sorry I do not have a recommendation on the colored wood you are looking for. There are many grades of wood. The best idea would be if the supplier claims that the wood is a specific grade, ask them exactly what the definition of that is. For example, a quick search of Google, showed five different grades for Ebony, none of which were a number.

The Flooring Lady at October 22, 2009 9:19 AM