A COMPREHENSIVE GUIDE TO BRAZILIAN HARDWOOD FLOORING

South American exotic hardwood floors is trending into high-end houses but is it worth the extra cost? What's it about Brazilian hardwood that sets it apart from imported woods from different regions around the globe? Here is a quick guide to Brazilian hardwood that can help you decide.

IMPORTED OR DOMESTIC?

Brazil is home to one of the biggest forests in the world, thus, the number of hardwood species is abundant. The density rankings among the highest of wood species that raises the impact durability. National forests like oak, maple, and birch are often compared to Janka hardness evaluations of South American exotics such as Jatoba, Ipe, and Cumaru, for instance. When these domestics do not measure up in terms of hardness, that's only one single factor which determines the sturdiness of a flooring.

ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECT

You could think by buying Brazilian timber you're leading to illegal logging practices. On the other hand, the huge majority of imported woods from Brazil are chosen legally after the forestry criteria of their governing body. To take it one step farther, start looking for certificates from the Forest Stewardship Council and Lacey Act that works in complete compliance with the principles of the United States laws for protecting the woods and prohibits the use of illegally sourced forests.

PRICE

SOME SPECIES HAVE A PREMIUM PRICE TAG BECAUSE OF THE RESTRICTED ACCESS TO RAW MATERIAL. WHEN IT'S MILLED, IT THEN NEEDS TO BE SENT A FANTASTIC DISTANCE. ALL THIS WILL RAISE THE CHARGE TO THE CUSTOMER. AN INDIVIDUAL MIGHT WISH TO TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THE NON-MONETARY COSTS TOO. LABOR LEGISLATION IN BRAZIL HAVE A PROPENSITY TO PREFER THE EMPLOYER, CONSEQUENTLY, EMPLOYEES MAY BE MORE VULNERABLE TO BEING MANIPULATED AND MADE TO OPERATE IN POOR LABOR CONDITIONS. BUT IT OUGHT TO BE MENTIONED THAT CRITERIA ARE SHIFTING AND MANY BRANDS THAT COPE WITH NORTH AMERICAN MARKETS ARE INCREASINGLY IMPROVING THEIR WORKING CONDITIONS.

Solid or Engineered?

It used to be that solid hardwood was undoubtedly the better option. However, advances in technology have made this question more difficult in recent years. Engineering uses less hardwood than solid. The top layer is wood, and the rest commonly made up of plywood composite. This means that engineered wood is more sustainable than its solid counterpart and if given a thick top layer 3mm+ the engineered can also be refinished.

As you can see, Brazilian hardwood is a great choice for your new flooring project. Just be sure to weigh all of the pros and cons to make certain that it is right for you.