Exotic Hardwoods Used For Wood Flooring

Most wood flooring in American homes is made of domestic hardwood. And why not? Red and white oak, maple, and cherry are all affordable, durable, and easy-to-maintain woods that when cared for properly, will last a lifetime.

Although oak can be finished to almost any color, you may prefer something more out of the ordinary that will give your home a distinctive, designer look. If you're willing to pay a premium price, hardwoods imported from Brazil, Africa, Asia, or Australia can make a very dramatic statement.

Here are some exotic hardwoods to consider when you're trying to decide which wood to use for your flooring:

* Mahogany grows in many parts of the world, including Central America, South America, and the Philippines. The grain is interlocking, the texture is even, and the deep, reddish-brown color makes for a gorgeous wood floor. Extremely hard, Santos mahogany is one of the most beautiful kinds of mahogany.

* Most of the teak that's used in wood flooring today comes from Indonesia. Teak is noted for its warm, golden color and coarse, wavy grain. Since it comes from the tropics, it's resistant to decay, termites, and fungus. At one time, teak was relatively inexpensive, but now that most of the old-growth wood has been harvested, it's not the bargain that it once was.

* Jatoba, which is better known as Brazilian cherry, starts out as reddish brown, and then grows into a rich, golden hue. It's grown throughout Central and South America. And because of its dense, interlocking grain, its nearly twice as hard as red oak, so it's a great choice for high-traffic areas.

* One of the most beautiful exotic hardwoods, tigerwood is so named because the wavy grain looks like a tiger's stripes. It's very hard, offers good resistance to insects, and the reddish-orange color is very distinctive. Wood flooring made of tigerwood will definitely attract attention.

* Another hardwood with dramatic stripes, Zebrawood, comes in a broad range of colors. The wood itself can be pale to brown, and the stripes can be almost black. Quarter sawing enhances this hard, lustrous wood. Like tigerwood, it resists termites and other pests.

* Most of the Sapele used in wood flooring is imported from Africa. It has a wavy, interlocking grain, and a fine texture. It wears pretty well if installed properly, but the boards can warp during storage.

* Also from Africa, wenge has become more popular in the last few years. The aged wood is almost black, and it's extremely hard. As a result, it's good for rooms with a lot of traffic, but you'll need to vacuum it a lot because specks of lint and dust will show.

* Merbau comes from Indonesia and the Philippines. The dark brown wood has yellow flecks in the pores, making it look like it's covered with gold dust. It can have straight, wavy, or interlocking grain, and it resists termites well.

Most of these species are available at better wood flooring dealers, and any of them can be used to create beautiful wood floors that will make your home even lovelier.