Why Brazilian Hardwood Floors?

It might just be the name. Brazilian hardwood floors employs that unbeatable name, Brazil, which brings up associations of girls in thongs, hot shirtless guys on beaches, parties, The Carnaval of Brazil, and everything considered exotic to people of the Northern Hemisphere.

But is Brazilian hardwood flooring worth it? Is there anything so special about hardwood flooring from Brazil that cannot be found in flooring from Australia or Asia?

Q: Is Brazilian hardwood flooring better than other types of hardwood flooring?

If discussing durability only, a high percentage of hardwood flooring hailing from South America does tend to be harder than North American counterparts.

On the Janka hardness chart, Brazilian Cherry and Walnut hit the top of the scale, followed by Santos Mahogany and Purpleheart.

Q: Am I decimating the Amazon by purchasing Brazilian hardwood floors?

Not necessarily. While this is possible, many farms and mills in Brazil now employ sustainable forest practices. Much Brazilian hardwood is certified by the Forest Stewardship Council, the gold standard for maintaining good forestry practices.

Q: Does Brazilian hardwood look any different than other types of hardwood flooring?

Quite a few Brazilian hardwoods exhibit sharply contrasting colors, and many of these colors are vivid and bold.

Q: If Brazilian operations use cheap labor, then why does Brazilian hardwood flooring cost more?

Ethical business practices (such as paying fair wages, etc.) are still not wide-spread in the Brazilian lumber industry--but in-roads are being made. A few of the more accountable operations, such as Brazilian Direct, ensure that mill and forest workers are paid fair wages. In addition, because Brazilian hardwoods are hard, milling is more difficult and slower. Finally, this product must be shipped thousands of miles, adding to the cost.

Q: If I could buy one type of Brazilian hardwood, it would be...?

Jatoba, otherwise known as Brazilian Cherry. This is the classic Brazilian hardwood floor, with a rich, deep reddish brown color and superior durability.

Looking for drama in your floor? Try Tigerwood (Brazilian Koa). With its bold, orangish stripes, it will attract attention.

Q: Solid or engineered Brazilian hardwood flooring?

I believe that solid hardwood is always a better choice than engineered wood flooring. Solid hardwood, unlike engineered wood, will never delaminate or otherwise fall apart. Engineered wood flooring does have its strong points, though. For one thing, less hardwood is consumed in the manufacturing of engineered wood. Only the top, thin layer is hardwood, with the rest a plywood-like composite.