Anyone have experience with Nature Exotics?

JDeFuria · 03-09-2009, 07:36 PM

Does anyone have experience with this particular brand of hardwood:

Nature: Solid Exoitcs.

I can't find much at all on the 'net:

http://www.hoskinghardwood.com/Hardw...an_Walnut.aspx

My local showroom carries this brand and is offering it as a much cheaper alternative to BR-111. (Compares to the price at the above link). At first glance from the sample I have, I'd say it does not appear to be engineered / milled with as high a quality, but was curious if anyone has installed or has experience with it.

Thanks!

DangerMouse · 03-09-2009, 08:13 PM

i mixed australian jarrah and brazilian walnut (ipey) on my back porch... it's gorgeous. (see pic, unfinished)
that looks to be good flooring... solid, not 'engineered'. it's expensive, yes, but this stuff is hard as a rock!
be careful installing, it chips easier than most woods.

DM

JDeFuria · 03-10-2009, 07:30 AM

Thanks for the insight!

Are you just commenting on Brazilian Walnut in general, or do happen to have experience with this particular vendor's product? (Just curious).

I'm contemplating an interior diagonal install over several rooms of about 850 ft2 total.

Diagonal Hardwood Install Advice

Do you think chipping could be an issue with all the mitre cuts? Any advise on how to cut this wood (masking tape and face down?)

DangerMouse · 03-10-2009, 09:09 AM

solid ipey will wreak havok with most tools, so be prepared with extra blades... and yes, take all precautions to avoid waste.
a friend bought a woodmaster and both router attachments to make flooring in one pass from a rough blank. (over $5,000) after we got tons of flooring made, it got trucked to New Jersey for a custom home! i suggested to him to predrill holes for nailing and he had little problems with splitting.
all of your diag. cuts will be hidden by the baseboards, yes? so just cut gently and slowly to avoid ripping out.
so far as THAT particular company, no, never heard of them, but their product is solid wood, 3/4"...sooooo..... i'd feel comfortable.
i imagine you will be satisfied with the results and wearability of this very tough wood.

DM

JDeFuria · 03-10-2009, 03:26 PM

Hi DM,

Yes, we'll be hiding the cuts under baseboards / quarter round.

When you say pre-drilling holes...I hope you mean just for the face nailing and not all the blind nailing...right!?

Thanks for your insight!
Joe

DangerMouse · 03-10-2009, 04:11 PM

ummm, you're going to hate me.... we made a jig and drilled each and every hole. he then set them with a nailset. good news is only a couple planks broke tongue! but remember we made this flooring on the woodmaster from (didn't mention before, sorry) recycled wood. he wanted to be sure it went down as nicely as possible.

DM

DM

JDeFuria · 03-10-2009, 06:01 PM

Wow...that must've been fun!

I'm sure you guys got a lot of satisfaction after that install. I'm going to go with the assumption that I'll be able to use a standard pneumatic nailer for the blind nails and hopefully have minimal issues. I'll certainly pre-drill any face nailing though.

If I milled my own planks, I'd probably be overly cautious too.

HardwoodGuy · 03-10-2009, 06:35 PM

Not familiar with the manufacturer, but very familiar with Hoskinghardwood. Jeff is a good man to deal with if you can get him on the phone...busy guy. Three showrooms in Mass. and a crew of installers and finishers too. He is very familiar with individual manufacturer quality and not just there to shove stuff out the door.

Brazilian Walnut(BW)? Yes very hard hardwood. I haven't really known any professionals to predrill and nail. Just get yourself a good quality finish nailer that uses 15 guage 2" nails. Porter Cable or Senco would be my choice. Definately use a pneumatic flooring nailer or stapler. Otherwise your arm will fall off trying to manually install BW.

Quote:

Any advise on how to cut this wood (masking tape and face down?)

I wouldn't bother. Just use a good quality sharp, new, carbide tipped blade on the chop saw. 40 teeth should work well. I saw that face down idea somewhere. Lowes video? Once again I've never seen a pro do it that way.

JDeFuria · 03-10-2009, 07:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HardwoodGuy

Not familiar with the manufacturer, but very familiar with Hoskinghardwood....

As luck would have it, I'm deciding between the Nature product, and the Brazilian Direct product that you also commented on here:

Brazilian Direct

Suffice to say I guess I should feel that I'd be OK (quality wise) with either product.