Dear Rob:
I want a floor that is really going to stand out – something unusual or exotic. Can you help me out with some information about hardwood flooring beyond the normal oak?
-Ron in Arizona
Dear Ron:
These days, people don’t want to have what their neighbors have in their homes; they want something better, more unique, more original. This applies to choosing a hardwood floor. The question used to be, “What kind of oak floor do you want? 2 1/4 wide natural or 2 1/4 wide stained?” Now there are many more choices of species, stains and widths than ever before.
Exotic floors are constructed like domestic hardwoods and you have the choice of engineered, solid or acrylic impregnated. Style choices include strip, plank and parquet. Installation methods include gluing, nailing or stapling and floating. Multiple widths are available to help you get the look that you want.
When exotics were first introduced, you typically heard names like: Brazilian Cherry, African Wenge, Santos Mahogany, Sapele, Merbau, Bamboo, Australian Cypress, etc. Then, many others became available such as:
When choosing an exotic hardwood floor keep the following points in mind:
- It is best to ask questions to make sure that the species you choose is best for your living conditions.
- Some choices may have considerable range of color where no two boards look alike. This is part of the beauty of exotic flooring.
- A floor with a lot of range can easily become the focal point of a room or the whole area. Know this in advance before planning your design scheme.
- Sunlight can change the color of the wood so area rugs need to be rotated.
- When shopping, ask to take a sample home to view it in your surroundings, especially your lighting conditions.
There are choices of exotic hardwoods for every design style. Some woods look very traditional, some very contemporary and some live up to the image you think of when you hear the word exotic. Some are even purple in color!
If you want something different and unique, an exotic hardwood may be for you. If you appreciate true natural beauty, unique color ranges, the character of each board possible looking different, then ask your local flooring retailer for some samples today!
-Rob
P.S. If you’re interested in checking out other types of exotic hardwood flooring, other species include:
Acacia”Koa”, Afrormosia, Afzelia, Amarettowood, AmberWood , Andiroba, Angelique, Angelim Pedra, Victorian, Bangkirai, Beech, European, Blackwood, Bloodwood, Bocote , Boire, Brushbox, Northern Bubinga, Cameron, Cherry (Caribbean, Mayan/Aztec, Patagonian), Chestnut (Brazilian and Southern), Cocobolo, Curupixa, Doussie, Ebony (Blackheart and Brazilian), Eucalyptus, Brazilian Gingerwood, Goncalo Alves, Green Ironwood, Ivory maple, Kambala, Karri , Kempas , Lacewood, Leopardwood, Makore, Maple (Brazilian and Patagonian), Mindi, Movingui, Tasmanian Oak, Brazilian Olivewood, Paraju, Peroba, Pradoo, Purpleheart, Ribbon Gum, Rosewood (Bolivian, Caribbean, Honduran, Patagonian, Tiete), Rubberwood, Satinwood, Shedu Mutenye, Spotted Gum, Sydney Blue, Tabaccowood, Tamarind, Teak (Brazilian, Brown, Ruby, True), Tigerwood, Walnut (Brazilian [Ipe], Caribbean, Mayan/Aztec, Patagonian, Peruvian) and Zebrawood.
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