Exotic Species Hardwood Flooring

Cocobolo, King Rosewood

September 9, 2017 / 28 Comments

JANKA HARDNESS – 2960

ORIGIN – Central America, Mexico, Panama, Costa Rica and Nicaragua

COMMON NAMES – Cocobolo, King Rosewood,

SCIENTIFIC NAME  – Dalbergia retusa

Whether installing a wood floor in a residential or commercial setting, exotic woods add a sense of class and luxury as well as structural durability.

There are many different species of hardwood that are classified as a “Rosewood.”  They’re all known for their defining beautiful colors and notable figured graining, but Cocobolo wood is deemed the best and most unique and sought-after of all the Rosewoods.  It’s a bit more rare than some other Rosewood species and is treated and thought of as a “rare gem.”  You can find this gorgeous hardwood used in many decorative applications such as fine furniture, custom made instruments, and even cabinetry veneer.

APPEARANCE

Cocobolo, the hardwood that was crowned King of all Rosewoods. 

This amazing hardwood is cherished for it’s breathtaking colors and graining.  Not only is Cocobolo known and loved for its appearance, but also for its strength and durability.

The Cocobolo tree has a dramatically different outer-sapwood than it’s heartwood.   The sapwood is light, pale, and holds a slightly yellow hue, while it’s highly contrasting inner-heartwood can be found to have a kaleidoscope of different colors ranging from rich oranges, to deep, bold and stunning reds with darker streaks of brown and even purple, with truly unique figure.  Cocobolo is also known for how beautifully it finishes.  This hardwood has an unmistakable level of natural luster that cannot go unnoticed.

Aesthetically, Cocobolo just screams “high-end” and “luxury,” and like many other exotic hardwoods, installing Cocobolo flooring in your home can increase your homes’ value and act as a great selling point.

Cocobolo Flooring
Cocobolo Flooring

CHARACTERISTICS

  • One of the oiliest woods in the world, making it suitable for both indoor and outdoor applications as well as having natural water-resistant qualities.
  • Slightly photosensitive and will darken with age and sunlight.
  • Cocobolo is known to be naturally rot resistant and holds up incredibly well to normal weathering and decay.
  • Cocobolo is so dense, it is one of the few woods in the world that actually sinks in water, at 65 pounds per cubic foot air dry, cocobolo weighs twice as much as Cherry. Not surprisingly, it’s too dense to float.
  • Cocobolo, the King of Rosewoods, is prized for its amazing color and unique figured graining, as well as acoustic qualities.

Cocobolo graining up close
Cocobolo graining up close
Cocobolo Cut Tree
Cocobolo Flooring
Cocobolo Flooring

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