Hardwood flooring is one of the oldest flooring materials. Not just beautiful, it is also a remarkably long lasting flooring option. For centuries, it has been adding warmth and beauty to homes and commercial properties alike. Capable of repeated refinishing, its life can be extended almost indefinitely. Maple, Pine and Oak flooring have all occupied the center stage at one point or other of wood flooring history.

It is time now to look at exotic wood flooring options. Exotic woods are less common and have remarkably beautiful colors and grain patterns. Sourced from all over the world including South America, Asia and Africa these woods can give a unique, one in a million look to your home.

Exotic Harwood Flooring at Contempo Floor Coverings

Contempo Floor Coverings has been providing the rarest hardwoods to discerning buyers for decades. Backed by a tradition of quality and customer service, Contempo Floor Coverings has the choicest collection of difficult to find hardwoods. Hardwood flooring at Contempo Floor Coverings are available in a wide range finishes and styles

Exotic Harwood Species

• Samba Wood- A moderately hard wood with a Janka rating of 2000. It has a wider range of colors and vein patterns to choose from. The sharp differences in colors are the biggest attraction of this wood.
• Tiger Wood – The Janka rating of Tiger wood varies between 1850 and 2160. True to its name it is a light orange yellowish wood with darker colored strips running through it.
• Jatoba – Also called Brazilian cherry, it is a very hard wood that tips the Janka scale between 2350 and 2820. The red brown color with pink undertones gives it a rare appeal. A distinct grain pattern and extreme hardness make it a great flooring choice. Not surprisingly it is one of the most popular exotic hardwood species around.
• Cumaru – Also called Brazilian teak, it upstages almost every other wood on the Janka scale. A janka rating of 3540 make it a flooring choice that will last almost forever. This high Janka rating means that it is not dented by heavy static loads or falling objects. If you have kids in the house who are prone to banging things down, Cumaru could be the Exotic hardwood you have been looking for. Besides competition beating hardness, Cumaru comes in rich chestnut brown tones that make for a warm and inviting floor.
• Tatajuba – Compared to Cumaru, Tatajuba is only moderately hard but it is a wood that packs a surprise. It is a light yellow colored wood when you install it. You start using it, it sees a bit of the sun and lo and behold the color changes to a medium brown or dark maroon shade! Color changing ability and a highly unusual grain pattern make it a prized wood for flooring purposes.
• Cabriuva – Similar to Santa Maria wood, it is also known as Incensio or Santos Mahogany. This wood has unique, dark reddish ribbon like patterns. Like Tatajuba its color also changes with time but unlike it the color becomes slightly lighter with use. The Janka rating of this wood varies between 2200 to 2320.

There are several other exotic hardwood species that you can choose from. Exotic hardwood flooring is an option worth considering whether you are thinking of remodeling your house or are building a new house. These woods are imported and may not be easily available therefore they are a bit pricier that their non exotic counterparts. However the value that they add to your house exceeds the investment in the flooring itself.

If you are looking for a less expensive option you could consider installing engineered exotic hardwood floors. These are relatively less expensive and help you save on installation costs. Whatever species of wood you choose for your floor do remember to get a durable wood finish over it. Given the high cost of these woods professional installation by an experienced crew is strongly recommend.