What is this hardwood really? And is it really worth what I paid for?

Question

I bought this hardwood at the auction today. It was described as Exotic Corp, Rosewood Cherry, Wide Plank, Solid Hardwood, Kempas.

I bought it at $3 per square foot for approximately 1000 square feet. It's pretty hard (after testing it out with the scrape method) and doesn't seem prone to scratches or whatever.

I'm just wondering if it's really worth what they said. The people there all told me it was pretty nice wood, and the auctioneer told me that I saved $9000. Will this wood last? Was it worth it? It's too late to bring it back now, but still I'm curious to know. Thanks in advance.

Answer 1

$3/sq ft is a pretty decent price for any wood flooring.  About average.  So you didn't get ripped off at the very least.

Answer 2

I'm sitting here in my flooring showroom...

This sounds like a really good deal to me, Kempas, or Brazilian Cherry, is a very very hard wood, is considered an exotic and can be very pricey.  Quality can range considerably, but Kempas tends to be available mostly from the better manufacturers.

If this is really what you are describing above, wide plank, solid hardwood, you got a really good deal.  You don't mention how thick it is, if it's less than 1/2 inch, that's not the greatest but it's still a real good deal, but if this is in good condition and over 1/2 inch thick, you got a screaming good deal.  If it's unfinished rather than prefinished, that price is still quite a bit less than I would pay for it wholesale.

Sounds like you've lucked out...

Oh...pay attention to the installation instructions, what type of subfloor you are putting it over and the moisture content of your subfloor...

Best wishes!

Answer 3

The term hardwood designates wood from broad-leaved (mostly deciduous, but not necessarily, in the case of tropical trees) or angiosperm trees. Hardwood contrasts with softwood, which comes from conifer trees. On average, hardwood is of higher density and hardness than softwood, but there is considerable variation in actual wood hardness in both groups, with a large amount of overlap; some hardwoods (e.g. balsa) are softer than most softwoods, while yew is an example of a hard softwood. Hardwoods have broad leaves and enclosed nuts or seeds such as acorns. They often grow in subtropical regions like Africa and also in Europe and other regions such as Asia. The dominant feature separating hardwoods from softwoods is the presence of pores, or vessels. [1]



SEM images showing the presence of pores in hardwoods (Oak, top) and absence in softwoods (Pine, bottom)Hardwood species are more varied than softwood. There are about a hundred times as many hardwood species as softwoods. The vessels may show considerable variation in size, shape of perforation plates (simple, scalariform, reticulate, foraminate), and structure of cell wall (e.g. spiral thickenings).

Hardwoods are employed in a large range of applications including (but not limited to): construction, furniture, flooring, utensils, etc.

Hardwoods are generally more resistant to decay than softwoods when used for exterior work.[citation needed] However, solid hardwood joinery is expensive compared to softwood (in the past, tropical hardwoods were easily available but the supply is now restricted due to sustainability issues[citation needed]) and most "hardwood" doors, for instance, now consist of a thin veneer bonded to medium-density fibreboard (MDF).

Answer 4

If it is solid 3/4 inch thick and the planks are 3 1/2 inch or wider you got a deal on Kempas. A good price would be 5.99 a SF

A retail price would be anywhere from 8.99 to 13.99 or more.

Answer 5

you got a deal.  Is it red? the wood dye permeates the wood. When you go to put a finish on it do not rub the brush back and forth too many times,,it may pulll some of the dye up. Just lap the brush over a spot twice and move on.

Answer 6

It will never warp up or swell, and it is natually treated, which means it will never rot or mold.