20 Feb 2019

Posted by Hilux Timber Flooring In Blog 0 Comments

Critiques, Finest Manufacturers & Execs vs Cons

Following on from our Walnut hardwood flooring consumers information we thought our readers would respect a deep dive into probably the most kind after kind of the species, Brazilian Walnut.

Brazilian Walnut may be very specific and gained’t go well with everybody’s style or finances, however it’s a basic possibility that has at all times been it type.

This Brazilian walnut flooring information features a basic overview of the wooden together with its professionals and cons. Then, we overview the highest ipe manufacturers, the merchandise they provide and the common value of Brazilian walnut flooring.

Readers may also see our guides to different in style hardwood species right here.

Overview | Execs & Cons | Set up Prices | Finest Manufacturers and Retailers

Brazilian walnut is the title given to a bunch of seven tree species which are was flooring. All have a wealthy, darkish look just like walnut bushes that develop in the USA, and therefore the title Brazilian walnut. Ipe is one other widespread title for these bushes.

This unique wooden flooring combines beautiful darkish hues with tough-as-nails sturdiness. Brazilian walnut is pricier than home hardwood flooring and might be troublesome to put in. Premium beauty include a value.

Brazilian Walnut Flooring Overview

This wooden has been imported for a few years, and its reputation has risen dramatically within the final decade. It’s thought of a premium hardwood flooring and one of the crucial stunning out there.

Brazilian walnut (genus Tabebuia) is grown in Brazil and close by South American nations. It grows in rainforests, and issues about sustainable manufacturing and harvesting have been addressed.

Unlawful harvesting and importing nonetheless happen, however you may keep away from issues by selecting a product licensed by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), the Lacey Act or the Nationwide Wooden Flooring Affiliation (NWFA).

Ipe (rhymes with eBay) is a richly darkish wooden, like mahogany. Some is chocolate brown, whereas different varieties characteristic pink and yellow hues. Brazilian walnut is broadly thought of one of many prettiest unique hardwoods, and that accounts for the demand.

Ipe flooring begins at about 2 ¾ inch widths and might be as large as eight inches. Every field of flooring comprises boards of assorted lengths, often from about 1 to 7 ft with a median of three ft. This permits the installer planks in order that butt ends are spaced correctly relative to the boards subsequent to it.

Most Brazilian walnut is pre-finished with stain and/or simply sealer with a topcoat of robust aluminum oxide that may be very proof against scratching. Just a few sellers additionally provide unfinished Brazilian walnut flooring.

Easy boards are the most typical and most inexpensive. Handscraped ipe is accessible at a premium value.

Like all hardwood flooring, ipe is produced in each varieties. Engineered Brazilian walnut is most popular in bogs, laundry areas and on cement as a result of moisture-related enlargement and contraction is much less more likely to trigger it to buckle or crack.

Nevertheless, as a result of the wooden can also be proof against moisture, strong hardwood could be an possibility even the place flooring get moist.

Focus on this determination together with your flooring retailer or installer to find out the proper product to your software. Stable Brazilian walnut flooring prices as much as twice as a lot, however as a result of it may be refinished extra instances, has a decrease lifetime value than engineered flooring.

A wooden’s hardness or density impacts its sturdiness and put on efficiency. The Janka Scale measures the hardness or density of every wooden species. Brazilian walnut has a hardness of 3680, and that makes it the toughest wooden out there for flooring.

Evaluate these Janka Scale scores to the hardness of ipe: Black walnut (1010), pink oak (1290), Ash – utilized in baseball bats (1320), white oak (1360) and exhausting maple (1450).

Execs and Cons

We’ve alluded to among the ipe benefits and downsides, however right here’s the entire story.

Brazilian Walnut Benefits

These professionals present why Brazilian walnut is a few of at present’s most in-demand hardwood flooring:

There’s a wow-factor with Brazilian walnut that’s exhausting to withstand. Oak, maple, hickory and different home hardwoods are actually enticing woods. However if you choose one thing out of the unusual, ipe is exclusive and really interesting.

Brazilian walnut is a ground that can final 100+ years. A part of the Coney Island boardwalk was lined in Brazilian walnut for greater than 30 years. The fabric has two to a few instances the hardness of home hardwood flooring, and meaning it gained’t simply dent or scratch. It stands as much as heavy site visitors, the claws of huge canines, hard-playing children with toys and the occasional dropped pot or mug.

Will be refinished – but it surely’s required much less usually

The wonder is long-lasting and might be refreshed, if wanted. Like most hardwood, ipe might be refinished a number of instances – 4 or extra instances for strong hardwood and a minimum of twice for engineered flooring.

As a bonus, its hardness implies that refinishing is required in intervals of 25-30 years as an alternative of the 15-25 for a lot of different wooden flooring.

Naturally proof against moisture

There are fewer worries about water with ipe than with home hardwood flooring. As a result of the wooden is so dense, moisture penetrates slowly in contrast with softer woods. The truth is, the wooden resists moisture so properly, Brazilian walnut is a well-liked alternative for out of doors decking.

The result’s that you should use strong Brazilian walnut in additional places and don’t have to be involved about damp mopping it or sanitizing it with a steam mop.

Do you like heat flooring? You gained’t have the cracking or buckling issues with Brazilian walnut that happen with different wooden flooring. Ipe may be very steady, so temperature adjustments trigger little motion within the wooden, and the potential for issues is enormously decreased.

Hearth and bug resistance

Whereas not widespread issues inside most houses, most wooden flooring burns simply and is enticing to bugs. The acute hardness of ipe provides it a Class A hearth score, one of the best for constructing supplies. And wood-boring bugs like termites and carpenter ants are repelled.

Brazilian Walnut Disadvantages

Listed here are a couple of cons to think about earlier than deciding that ipe is the proper flooring to your house.

Increased materials value than home hardwood

There’s extra on value under, however the vary for Brazilian walnut is about $Four.25 to $15.50 per sq. foot for the planks. Set up equipment just like the required subfloor, transition strips and fasteners value a further $.75 to $1.75 per sq. foot.

Home hardwoods begin at nearer to $1.75 per sq. foot and infrequently value greater than $7.00. Demand for Brazilian walnut, decrease provide than domestics and transportation/import charges contribute to the upper value.

The energy of ipe can also be a weak spot. If oak is hardwood, then that is super-hardwood. Meaning it should bend flooring nails except holes are drilled that the nails might be put in by way of.

That set up method takes extra time, and time is cash for flooring contractors. Anticipate set up estimates of $Four-$6 per sq. foot only for labor.

We suggest skilled set up as a result of Brazilian walnut is troublesome to work with on account of its hardness. For those who do the work your self, you’ll want a carbide blade in your noticed, and also you would possibly want to interchange it earlier than you’re accomplished. That’s along with pre-drilling fastener holes – and changing a dulled drill bit a time or two.

The wooden of every tree varies from very darkish to medium darkish, so you may count on a spread of colours. Some contemplate the colour selection a part of the wooden’s intriguing look. Others would favor coloration consistency.

The draw back of Brazilian walnut boasting a deep brown base is that mud, pet hair and different particles is extra seen than it will be on gentle flooring. You would possibly really feel compelled to make use of your hardwood mop a number of instances per week to maintain your flooring trying clear.

Ipe and Brazilian walnut are unfastened phrases usually misused by exporters delivery the wooden and importers promoting it to flooring retailers. Most wooden is the true deal – the very exhausting wooden we’ve been discussing. Nevertheless, the names generally apply to an affordable, comfortable wooden additionally referred to as Imbuia that grows all through South America. It seems to be very similar to Brazilian walnut, and therefore the potential for being ripped off.

Imbuia’s Janka Hardness score is about 970. To keep away from shopping for fake ipe or Brazilian walnut, ask the vendor what’s the Janka score of the flooring you might be contemplating. If it’s not 3000+, it isn’t real Brazilian walnut/ipe. An alternative choice is to see our Vendor Critiques under to discover a producer or retailer providing real, sturdy ipe/Brazilian walnut.

The colour may not go well with small areas

Some inside designers recommend that darkish flooring is confining, even “suffocating” in small rooms. They suggest that it’s utilized in massive, open areas. Others disagree, as a result of it comes down to non-public choice. In case you are attempting to create a comfy atmosphere in a den or bed room, this flooring’s darkish hues would possibly fit your functions.

Brazilian Walnut Flooring Price

Ipe or Brazilian walnut flooring value is $9.00 to $18.00 per sq. foot when put in by knowledgeable flooring contractor. There are a number of Brazilian walnut ground value components together with whether or not the planks are strong (more durable to put in) or engineered (simpler).

Price may even be impacted by the dimensions of the world to be lined, how a lot trimming round obstacles like doorways and fireside hearths is required and whether or not you put in it your self or do as most householders do and rent knowledgeable flooring contractor.

This desk exhibits all ipe flooring value components and the way they affect worth:

Issue	Low Price $6.50 – $9.00/sq. ft.	Common Price $9.35 – $11.50/sq. ft.	Excessive Price $11.75 – $18.00/sq. ft.
Set up	DIY or Professional	Professional	Professional
Sort	Engineered or Stable	Stable	Stable
Width	2 three/Four″ to five″	three three/Four″ to six″	5″ to eight″
Texture	Easy	Easy or Handscraped	Easy or Handscraped
Subfloor Set up	No	No or Sure	No or Sure
Prefinished	No or Sure	Sure	Sure
Job Complexity	Simple to Reasonable	Simple to Reasonable	Reasonable to Tough

Prime Brazilian Walnut Flooring Manufacturers Critiques

These producers and retailers promote licensed Brazilian walnut or ipe and have a very good vary of merchandise. Right here is an outline of what they provide.

Hurst Hardwoods

Hurst affords one of many largest choices of ipe within the US. Costs begin at about $Four.00 per sq. foot for engineered, unfinished Brazilian walnut and go as much as about $eight.00 per sq. foot.

Stable Brazilian walnut hardwood is offered in prefinished and unfinished variations. Each types can be found in 5 widths starting from 2 ¼” to five”.

Engineered Brazilian walnut can also be produced in prefinished and unfinished types. Prefinished materials is ½” thick with planks 5” large. Two stain colours can be found.

Unfinished engineered ipe flooring provides you extra choices. The 5/eight” boards are reduce in 6 widths from three” to eight”.

All merchandise are licensed by the Nationwide Wooden Flooring Affiliation as sustainably produced.

Benefit Lumber

This firm owns its personal mills and molding machines that flip uncooked Brazilian walnut into uniform widths and tight-fitting ground boards.

Benefit produces planks from 2 ¾” to five” in a number of grades of unfinished and completed planks. All are strong wooden. Price begins under $three.00 per sq. foot for sapwood grade and rises to about $eight.00 for clear grade.

IndusParquet

This firm harvests and mills Brazilian walnut in South America and sells it wholesale to massive retailers like Hoskings.

IndusParquet is compliant with FSC rules and the Lacey Act that imposes legal penalties for unlawful harvesting and gross sales of ipe.

Stable ipe is ¾” thick and offered in widths of three”, 5 ½” and seven ¾” with easy (normal) end. Handscraped boards 5 ½” large are additionally out there in strong flooring.

Engineered ipe is offered in three/eight” boards three ¼” large and ½” boards 5” large.

Engineered Brazilian walnut begins at about $6.15 per sq. foot. Stable ipe flooring is $10.00 to $14.50 per sq. foot. These are retail costs from Hoskings and different retailers of IndusParquet.

Brazilian Direct

Additionally know as Brazilian Hardwood, this firm has been producing premium Brazilian walnut flooring since 2002.

In its early years, Brazilian Direct was cited by a corporation referred to as Rainforest Reduction as an organization that exported uncertified lumber. We point out it as a result of the record of denounced firms continues to be out there on-line and has not been up to date to take away Brazilian Direct.

Brazilian Direct now produces Forest Stewardship Council-certified flooring. Based on the corporate, its mill in Brazil “makes use of Sustainable Forestry Practices, which incorporates environmental and socially accountable forestry.”

Brazilian Direct produces ¾” strong hardwood in three ¼” and 5” prefinished widths and unfinished ipe in three ¼”. Price vary is $Four.50 to $7.00 per sq. foot.

Robinson Lumber Firm

The corporate has its personal mills in South America and imports Brazilian walnut and different unique hardwoods into the US.

Ipe is produced in ¾” strong wooden flooring. Completed and unfinished planks can be found in widths from 2 ¾” to six”. Pricing isn’t out there from Robinson, since it’s solely a wholesale vendor to massive flooring retailers.

Robinson is one other firm listed as not having correct certifications, however the firm claims it has been accredited by the Forest Stewardship Council since 2001.

Pennington Hardwoods

This model is a provider of a variety of unique and home hardwood. Normal and handscraped ipe flooring in three ¼” and 5” widths. It’s strong wooden flooring, so the thickness is ¾”. Flooring is licensed by the NWFA as genuine and responsibly produced.

In contrast with different sellers, costs vary from common to excessive. They begin at about $5.50 per sq. foot for engineered and high $14.00 for prefinished handscraped planks. Pennington is without doubt one of the few sellers that supply handscraped Brazilian walnut flooring.

Normal flooring with an oil added that protects from UV harm is accessible too. It’s a sensible choice for rooms the place pure daylight reaches the flooring.

County Flooring

County Flooring is a big retailer of ipe, however doesn’t mill it. It’s Brazilian walnut choices embrace strong hardwood and engineered flooring with a high layer of strong materials that may be refinished a couple of times relying on the depth of the floor scratches.

Widths vary from 2 ¼” to five”, and like all manufacturers, County Ground ipe is offered in planks that common three’ however vary from 1’ to 7’.

County Flooring is a part of the NWFA and sells licensed merchandise.

County Flooring home hardwoods which are licensed by the Forest Stewardship Council, however no certification is listed for Brazilian walnut.

Ipe Woods USA

This model offers Brazilian walnut flooring and decking supplies.

4 ipe flooring merchandise are offered: Four” and 5” boards in prefinished and unfinished choices. That is strong hardwood – ¾” thick. Costs are aggressive, from $6.00 to $7.00 per sq. foot for the planks.

Nature Flooring

This firm doesn’t presently produce ipe flooring, because it has prior to now. Nevertheless, a few of its inexpensive engineered Brazilian walnut flooring is accessible from retailers like Unbelievable Ground.

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