On 2 Mar 2005 20:58:34 -0800, "calberto22"
wrote:
Hi, I just purchased a 10 year old house with beautiful dark
brown/reddish Brazilian cherry floors. Unfortunately part of the
floors were damaged by a leak and I have to replace them. I have
looked EVERYWHERE for Brazilian Cherry of the same color but they are
all a much much lighter shade. Everyone has assured me that they will
darken in about 4-6 months. However, I just can't believe a wood can
possibly change so much in color. The new Brazilian cherry I am
finding is a light brown color, my house Brazilian Cherry is a Dark
Red/Brown color. It would have to change dramatically. Everyone I
speak to at every reseller I go to tells me the same thing, IT WILL
CHANGE to a dark red/brown color and blend with the rest of the house.
Has anyone had experience with this?
Thanks,
Carlos
The problem with what is called, "Brazilian Cherry", is that it is a
trade name, rather than the fruits of Linnaeus Naema.
As a trade name, it can include many different, some would say - far
too many different - subspecies in its grouping.
I built a set of stairs out of what was called, "Brazilian Cherry",
and it looked like this:
http://home.comcast.net/~tjwatson1/page21.htm
These pictures were taken after a wash coat had been applied.
Brazilian Cherry is closer to being a Mahogany than it is to being a
Cherry.
It certainly is not related to the American hardwood that we call
Cherry.
I did not find it to be particularly responsive to the darkening
effects of light, in an immediate sense, as American Cherry is.
When the boards are brought out of the stack, they darken without
exposure to UV, leading one to believe that the oxidation process is
air driven, rather than UV driven.
It is very tough and fibrous, and, in my experience, has many
inclusions of minerals that defeat tools that are not sufficiently
hardened.
I did not particularly enjoy working with this wood. I found it to
take a poor finish, in terms of reflectivity, and as opposed to
American cherry.
Thomas J. Watson - WoodDorker
tjwatson1ATcomcastDOTnet (real email)
http://home.comcast.net/~tjwatson1 (webpage)