Are you just starting out as a young professional in hardwood floor installations and you’re on the hunt to find as much information as possible about different species of woods? Knowing the materials you work with is a great advantage, especially early on. Not only do you learn how to work with different wood types, you also develop the necessary knowledge to be able to convey key information to your clients if they ask for specifics.
Guiding customers to help them make informed decisions is a vital part in any job, but in order to do that, we have to be experts in our field. In this article, we’re taking a closer look at Brazilian Cherry wood. Here at First Atlanta Flooring, we wanted to cover all the necessary information surrounding this wood type, so we can help professionals understand this species better.
Brazilian Cherry floors have been around for a long time, and they remain a popular choice among Americans. Brazilian Cherry has its strengths and weaknesses, just like any other wood type, but having a fundamental understanding of whether it will suit the space you’re installing it in is very important. Usually, Brazilian Cherry hardwood flooring signals grandiosity and prominence, and is a great choice for large, open and luxurious spaces.
So, before we jump into the specifics of Brazilian Cherry flooring, let’s see a couple of facts about the wood itself:
- Brazilian Cherry wood is not actually cherry wood, but a species called Hymenaea Courbaril;
- It has a rich red tone, similar to cherries, and has the hardness of oak;
- Brazilian Cherry Wood can be found in South and Central America, Southern Mexico, and parts of the West Indies;
- Brazilian Cherry Wood is also known as Jatoba.
Top 3 Things Pros Should Know About Brazilian Cherry Wood Flooring
Flooring material specifics
Apart from its obvious reddish color, the wood also has distinguished streaks and dark stripes throughout the wood planks. Brazilian Cherry is a very strong hardwood, making it a highly durable flooring material. On the official Janka hardness chart, Brazilian Cherry has a 2350 hardness rating. By comparison, white oak has only a rating of 1360. It is a popular choice for flooring, due to the fact that a multitude of stains and finishes can be applied to it.
Brazilian Cherry wood has a natural resistance to heat, making it an ideal choice to install over a radiant floor base. Furthermore, thanks to its high durability, it can be sanded and refinished multiple times—more than 10 times even. Typically, chestnut or walnut woods only allow 2 to 3 refinishes before replacement.
Up until now, this wood sounds perfect in every way, however, there are a few downsides to it. Jatoba is a bit expensive, easily shows dirt and dust, and obviously doesn’t do well with water damage.
Unfinished or prefinished – Which one should you choose?
When it comes to hardwood Brazilian Cherry, or any type of hardwood floor really, you can buy them either finished or unfinished. Here at First Atlanta Flooring, we only sell unfinished Brazilian Cherry when it comes to hardwood floors, however, you can buy prefinished Brazilian Cherry engineered flooring.
Buying unfinished hardwood planks guarantees total control over the final look and lets you fix any damage sustained from the installation process, as well.
Hardwood or engineered flooring – What to consider?
We went over a few specifics of hardwood Brazilian Cherry flooring in one of the previous sections, so let’s focus a bit on the engineered type here. Engineered Jatoba is easier to install, however, it’s not as durable as its hardwood counterpart. Made out of wood layers, it doesn’t have that distinct, unique look that hardwood has.
Conclusion
Now that you know all the essentials about Brazilian Cherry flooring, you can apply your knowledge when asked for specifics. When faced with choosing between unfinished and prefinished flooring, or hardwood versus engineered flooring, make sure you consider multiple factors, such as the space you’re installing the floor in, your client’s budget, as well as how much of a priority durability is.
Are you looking for quality wood flooring options?
If you and your team are embarking on a project and need durable hardwood planks, make sure to check out our website. We are a group of highly passionate people who love what we do and strive to supply premium-grade flooring options to professionals. Don’t hesitate to reach out to us if you need any assistance with your shopping. We’ll try to assist you with anything you need.
