Price of genuine mahogany flooring

[Arfur]

Hi all,

Wonder if anyone can give me an idea of pricing per sq foot for Genuine Mahogany [swietenia macrophylla] tongue and groove flooring size about 5" wide x 3/4" thick.

I realize it's going to vary a bit in price depending on grade - looking for higher grade stuff - I'm having problems getting some approximate prices.

Any help very much appreciated.

 

[Ernesto]

I thought they stopped logging it.

 

[Arfur]

Mostly stopped logging it in South America but it has been plantation grown in many countries for about 40 years now.

All FSC approved and the plantations are regularly checked so it's around and all quite legal. I'd prefer to get the real thing rather than some kind of copy Mahogany like 'Santos Mahogany' for example which is about as Mahogany as my big toe.

So have you never seen it sold anywhere?

 

[Ernesto]

Mostly stopped logging it in South America but it has been plantation grown in many countries for about 40 years now.

All FSC approved and the plantations are regularly checked so it's around and all quite legal. I'd prefer to get the real thing rather than some kind of copy Mahogany like 'Santos Mahogany' for example which is about as Mahogany as my big toe.

So have you never seen it sold anywhere?

News to me about plantation Mahogany being sold. Bet you have to go to one of those to order it if at all possible to transport due to restrictions. And you may have to buy a whole container of it. I doubt it can clear customs.
Great thing about Mahogany is that our native termites do not like to eat it. Bad thing is it's very soft as hardwood goes.
In our older parts of town here in Tucson Az, houses built in the 50's and 60's all the trim, cabinets, doors etc were that species. Santos is just another species that looks similar but is not nearly the same thing as you said.
Good luck in your endeavors

 

[Arfur]

Because it's all FSC etc approved it's coming in approved/cleared by customs I'm told. It's about the same janka hardness as teak so can't really see why it would be considered too soft for flooring - it was used to build the old wood sailing ship hulls so got to be hardy enough.

Yes great for cabinets, doors etc also - just a matter of finding someone who has it at a decent price.

Thanks, all the best.

 

[Ernesto]

Well 1200 is mediocre as hardness goes. Better wear slippers .

 

[highup]

There's lots of old fir floors around here that still look good. Just don't drop bricks or tools on it. Kinda depends on how you live on it. I'm talking old growth stuff in older homes. It's probably half that in hardness. Like buying white or solid color carpet. You just have to live differently.
Dents by the way are called character.

 

[Arfur]

Perhaps the hardness of a flooring wood is over rated in terms of getting dents etc for domestic use anyways. Half of the houses in Australia have pine floors which is softer and I rarely saw any damage/dents in them when I lived there. Hard flooring wood tends to have no give at all so feels like walking on cement whereas something with a little give has a friendly even opulent feel.

 

[highup]

With softer woods you need to be a lot more careful and it depends if some dents over time are going to ruin your life. Boots with lug type soles can bring in small rocks. Furniture and especially chairs with metal caps on the legs need to be replaced with felt pads. Never scoot furniture on it. If it doesn't dent the floor, it can scratch the finish. Common sense

 

[Arfur]

Yep agree use common sense - old fir floors being half the hardness yet commonly use in years gone by is testament to the hardness factor being not so important and is perhaps overrated. Depends on the look and feel you are after. Scooting furniture across a very hard wood floor will also damage the finish of course.

 

[highup]

Sounds like you know what you're up against. In a hallway living room or dining room, nice rugs add to the look and also protect the wood. Personally I don't like the look of a large expanse of wood without rugs.