Jatoba (Brazilian Cherry)
Hymenaea courbaril · Exotic/Tropical Hardwood
- Type
- Exotic/Tropical Hardwood
- Origin
- Central America, southern Mexico, northern South America, and the West Indies.
- Hardness
- 2,350 lbf (Very Hard)
- Durability
- Very Durable. Excellent resistance to rot, fungi, and dry-wood termites.
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Grain Pattern
Interlocked to straight grain with a medium to coarse uniform texture. The sample shows a mix of flat-sawn cathedral grain and quarter-sawn vertical striping.
Color & Appearance
Freshly cut heartwood is salmon red to orange-brown, but darkens significantly upon exposure to light and air into a rich, deep reddish-brown with occasional dark streaks. Sapwood is a contrasting whitish-gray or yellowish color.
Hardness (Janka)
2,350 lbf (Very Hard)
Durability & Decay Resistance
Very Durable. Excellent resistance to rot, fungi, and dry-wood termites.
Value & Sustainability
- Estimated Market Value
- $8.00 to $12.00 per board foot for lumber, or higher for finished flooring products.
- Wood Age Estimate
- Estimated to be 10-25 years old based on typical residential flooring wear, oxidation, and surface gloss patina.
- Sustainability Status
- Not listed on CITES appendices and not on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, though careful sourcing for legal harvesting is recommended.
Common Uses
Flooring, fine furniture, cabinetry, heavy-duty construction, tool handles, boat building, and turning.
Geographic Origin
Central America, southern Mexico, northern South America, and the West Indies.
Workability
Difficult to work with hand and machine tools due to extreme density and hardness. Has a dulling effect on cutters. Glues, stains, and finishes well, though pre-boring is required for nailing and screwing.
Finish Recommendations
Polyurethane or UV-cured factory finishes are ideal for high-traffic flooring. Water-based finishes may require a sanding sealer to prevent grain raising.
Notable Features
Exceptional hardness and dimensional stability, high impact resistance, and a distinctive amber-to-reddish darkening effect under UV light.
