Exotic Hardwood Flooring

Do you like hardwood flooring but are wondering which one to select for your new floor? Are you looking for a hardwood floor that is durable, beautiful and unique?

If quality is your primary concern, consider an exotic hardwood floor. Exotic hardwood flooring is made from wood species that are not common in the United States. Most exotic hardwoods are imported from Africa, South America, Australia and Asia.

Exotic Hardwood Styles

Have you ever wondered why some of the same species of woods differ in appearance and cost? The look and price of exotic hardwood products depends on the way in which the wood was sawn and cut. Wood floors may be plain sawn, rift sawn, quarter sawn or radially sawn.

Plain Sawn Wood

Is wood that has been sawn by making several parallel cuts in a wooden log. Plain sawn wood is cheaper as little wood is wasted in this method. Some types of wood grain structures like cathedrals are seen best in plain sawn wood. A disadvantage of Plain sawn wood is that it is relatively unstable.

Rift Sawn Wood

Rift sawn wood produces boards by placing cuts at 30 degrees or more to the growth rings of the tree. Rift sawn wood is more stable as all the grains in a board have the same pattern. A key disadvantage is that when wood is Rift sawn a lot of wood is wasted. As a result, rift sawn wood is more expensive.

Quarter Sawn Wood

The log is first cut into quarters and then boards are made by placing several cuts perpendicular to the rings of the log. The wastage is less with this method and the grain is more stable.

Radially Sawn Wood

The log is first cut into a number of wedge shaped pieces. These wedge shaped pieces can then be cut length wise to obtain boards. Radial saw milling is specifically used for eucalyptus trees. It is not very popular for other exotic hardwoods. The wastage with this method is minimal.

Facts about Exotic Hardwood Flooring

• Cost – Exotic hardwood flooring is very expensive but is well worth the price. Discerning homeowners with a desire to own the best, prefer exotic hardwood floors over any other species.
• Hardness – Some exotic hardwoods have very high Janka ratings and are much harder than traditional hardwood floors like Maple and Oak. These floors can withstand a lot more traffic than regular hardwood floors and therefore will last much longer. The higher cost of these exotic hardwoods is justified by their long life and ability to withstand traffic.
• Species – Mahogany, Teak, Jatoba (the same as Brazilian cherry), Sapele, Wenge and Merabu are some of the exotic hardwood species available in the market. To know more about exotic hardwoods you can visit Contempo Floor Coverings in the Los Angeles area.
• Finish and board thickness – Exotic hardwood is available as both prefinished and finished on-site boards. The width of the boards varies from 2 – 14 inches and they are ¾ inch to 5/16 inch thick. The 5/16 boards are called thin profile boards. You can directly glue them to your concrete floor. Of course, you will need to ensure that the moisture level in the concrete is not high.
• Engineered exotic hardwood floors – This is a great option if you are looking to combine the beauty of exotic hardwoods and the convenience of an engineered floor board. They are less expensive and easier to install than solid hardwood flooring. The thickness of engineered boards varies between 1/16 to ¾ inches.

It is important to remember that unscrupulous harvesting can wreak havoc with forests and the global climate patterns. You need to buy exotic hardwoods from reputed manufacturers who have sustainable harvesting policies. This way you can ensure that the environmental impact of your exotic hardwood floor is minimized. Contempo Floor Coverings carries exotic hardwood floors from many reputed manufacturers who harvest wood from plantations or from sustainably managed forests.

Visit our Los Angeles Flooring showrooms for more information about Flooring.