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Choosing a type of hardwood floor is an important decision for any home.
The kind of flooring you go with will set the tone for your entire house. The floor is one of the largest surfaces in your home and the wood you choose will be visible throughout.
If money is no option, there are so many different types of hardwood you can choose from.
Many of the most common hardwood floors are not very expensive relative to others. However, there are some types that can really break the bank.
In this article, we have laid out some of the most expensive hardwood floors available on the market.
Not everyone will be able to afford these woods. If you can, though, you can be certain that your home’s floor will be the centerpiece for a long time.
There is a wide variety of woods to choose from for your home. Some of the most expensive are:
Brazilian Cherry
Zebra Wood
Macassar Ebony
Bocote
What Makes Hardwood Flooring Expensive?
Hardwood floors are expensive for many different reasons. Generally, though, it is because they are hard to come by.
Like anything else, wood is a natural resource and a commodity. It is not always readily available like stone or vinyl.
Some woods are simply rarer than others and do not occur in nature as easily as oak or pine. When this happens, the price of the wood goes up, just like with any other rare material.
However, other woods are actually endangered and are illegal to buy, sell or possess in the U.S.
Because of this, it is impossible and illegal to have a mahogany hardwood floor installed in your home.
For the most part, though, wood is expensive simply because it is hard to come by. This is the case with all the woods on our list below.
Brazilian Cherry
Brazilian cherry is one of the more affordable woods we have listed here. At around $6 per square foot, though, it is still fairly expensive for an entire home.
Brazilian cherry is not actually a cherry wood but gets its name from its deep red color. It is an incredibly beautiful wood and was very popular in new homes in the early 2000’s.
While it is not technically an endangered wood, it is still difficult to come by. It comes from a heavily forested area in the Amazon and is considered by some to be unethical.
If you are interested in conserving this wood, it is available in laminate form.
Zebra Wood
Zebra wood is an incredibly exotic wood that is named for its appearance. It has a deep-veined light and dark contrast grain and is very beautiful.
Zebra wood tends to come from the mosquito coast and needs to be imported to the United States.
Because of this, it can be up to $25 per square foot. To floor an entire home with this wood would be incredibly expensive.
However, it finishes very well and is usually used to make jewelry and bowls. Its intricate patterns and excellent colors are perfect for unique, designer homes.
Macassar Ebony
Macassar Ebony is a dense, deeply grained wood that is highly sought after and very expensive.
At $150 per square foot, it is usually reserved for end pieces on cabinetry and fine woodworking.
However, it can also be used for flooring. It is desirable for its durability and longevity.
The grain of Macassar Ebony is usually interlocked, which promotes strength. This also makes it difficult to work with.
Macassar Ebony is also incredibly rare and has reduced its viability by 20% in the last three generations.
Bocote
Bocote is a very beautiful wood with a lot of color undertones and a pleasing grain. It is usually found in Mexico and South America and is imported to the United States.
At $4 per square foot, though, it is relatively affordable for how beautiful it is. It has a brown body and grain that is almost black.
If you want a floor that retains a dark color as it ages, this could be a good choice.
The patterns produced by the grain are also very complicated. This makes it a great option if you want a uniquely styled floor.
Unlike other more expensive hardwoods, Bocote is not endangered or rare. It is a relatively sustainable wood that won’t be going up in price any time soon.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the most popular flooring in homes today?
Luxury vinyl tile, or LVT, is one of the most popular types of flooring right now.
Its durability and wide variety of styles make it a good choice for people who want both attributes. It is also relatively inexpensive and budget-friendly.
What is the toughest flooring?
Without a doubt, hardwood is the toughest type of flooring. It is meant to last and will give you some of the best longevity available on the market.
Laminate is also incredibly tough and has the benefit of being easy to replace if a piece is damaged.
What is the rarest wood on earth?
Lignum Vitae is by far the rarest wood on earth. It has a high oil content which naturally finishes the wood and gives it a brilliant sheen.
It also has a large range of colors and hues making it very versatile.
Conclusion
While you do not have to spend a lot of money to get a nice floor, it can improve your home’s look.
Purchasing high-quality materials for your home is a great way to make it last. Some of these hardwood flooring options will give you years of beautiful flooring.
Michael J. O’Connor is a writer and marketing specialist from the Bay Area of California. A graduate of Sonoma State’s Creative Writing program, he spent many years as a contractor and carpet layer, learning the ins and outs of flooring and general contracting. When he’s not typing away at his desk, he enjoys hiking with his dogs, woodworking and collecting rare books. See full biography here.
